


Star Wars and You: A New Hope

by MedieavalBeabe



Series: Star Wars and You [1]
Category: Star Wars Original Trilogy
Genre: Fighting, Friends to Lovers, Friendship/Love, Gen, Jedi Training, Space Battles, The Force
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-28
Updated: 2017-04-28
Packaged: 2018-10-25 01:34:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 20,681
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10754001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MedieavalBeabe/pseuds/MedieavalBeabe
Summary: You are Luke Skywalker’s best friend, who goes with him on his epic adventure from Tatooine to Endor; befriending droids and Wookies, rescuing Princesses, aiding “scoundrels” in distress and training to become Jedi Knights. But there’s always been a little part of both of you that wants more than just friendship...





	1. Message from Beyond the Stars

**Author's Note:**

> Note: This is AU and deals only with the original Star Wars trilogy, I’m afraid. Sorry if anyone is disappointed.

You emerge from the house in your _(F/C)_ peasant blouse that comes to just above your knees over your brown knee-length trousers and long grey boots, feeling the heat from the two suns above you wash over you in a warm wave. Ahead of you, Owen Lars is striding towards a convoy of Jawa scavengers who have lined up their latest line of droids for the buyer’s contemplation, whilst beside you your best friend walks along casually, such sights neither new nor unusual to either of you.

 

“Luke! _(Y/N)!”_

 

Hearing Beru calling you from the house, you and Luke jog over to peer down at her through one of the hole in the ground that makes up their house.

 

“Tell Uncle if he gets a translator to be sure it speaks Bocce,” Beru smiles up at you.

 

“Doesn’t look like we have much choice, but we’ll remind him,” Luke replies, obediently.

 

You smile as you hurry with him back over to where Owen’s examining the droids. Some days you just feel happy to be _(Y/N) (Y/L/N),_ best friend of Luke Skywalker, as you have been for the past thirteen years. Well, actually, now you’ve hit nineteen, you’ve started to see Luke as more than just a friend, you have deep feelings for him, you’d even go so far as to say you were completely in love with him. Everyone around you knows this without you even having to say it; Owen, Beru, Biggs and a whole load of your other friends. The only person who doesn’t know it is Luke, and that’s because you don’t make it obvious around him, because you have no idea if he sees you in that way at all. He always refers to you as a partner, stating you’re a team and that one day, if he ever gets off this planet, you’re going with him no matter what. The pair of you have always been close, practically family, more so now since after your grandfather, your only living relative until recently, passed away four years ago, and you didn’t know what to do, Luke very kindly said you could live with him and his aunt and uncle, and they had been only too happy to let you stay.

 

“Do you speak Bocce?” Owen asks a tall, gold humanoid droid.

 

“Of course I can, Sir,” the droid boasts, “it’s like a second language to me...”

 

“Alright, shut up,” Owen interrupts, turning to the Jawa next to him. “I’ll take this one.”

 

You and Luke look over the droids and you notice a small domed one, blue and white, and rather hyperactive in nature, bleeping something to the gold droid. You smile. “Aw, I wish we could take that one, it’s kind of cute.” At that, the droid turns to face you and bleeps something you don’t understand but it makes you giggle all the same.

 

“Luke, _(Y/N),_ take these two over to the garage, will you?” Owen calls you over, indicating the gold droid and a red and grey R2 unit beside it. “I want you to have both of them cleaned up before dinner.”

 

“But we were going to go over to Toshi Station to pick up some power converters,” Luke protests.

 

You shake your head, knowing Owen’s seen through the real reason you want to go to Toshi. “You can waste time with your friends when your chores are done,” he states, firmly. “Now, come on, get to it.”

 

“Alright, come on,” Luke sighs to the chosen droid, beckoning the red one. “And the red one, come on. Well, come on, Red, let’s go.”

 

You glance over at the blue R2 unit that’s now bleeping wildly, like it’s begging the gold droid not to leave it behind. The gold droid also looks over at it, seeming regretful...for a droid at any rate. You then jump as the red droid pops a plate from its head and stops where it is, sparking wildly.

 

“Uncle Owen!” Luke calls to him. “This R2 unit has a bad motivator, look!”

 

“Hey, what are you trying to pull?” Owen accuses the head Jawa, who begins babbling incoherently, whilst the little blue R2 unit gets very excited, begging to be chosen.

 

“Excuse me, Sir,” says the gold droid, tapping Luke’s arm, “but _that_ R2 unit is in prime condition, a real bargain.”

 

He points to the blue droid and you giggle as it almost seems to be calling “Me! Me! Pick me!”

 

“Uncle Owen!” Luke calls again, pointing to it. “What about that one?”

 

“What about the blue one?” Owen consults with the head Jawa. “We’ll take that one.”

 

You grin as the other Jawas pull the broken R2 unit away and the new one comes over to join you. “I’m sure you’ll be very pleased with that one, Sir,” the gold droid says. “He really is in first class condition. I’ve worked with him before. Here he comes.”

 

“Ok, let’s go,” Luke says as the blue R2 unit reaches you.

 

“Now don’t you forget this!” you hear the gold droid hiss to the blue one. “Why I should stick my neck out for _you_ is quite beyond my capacity!”

 

Once inside the garage, you and Luke set about getting the gold droid into an oil bath, which he gushes over the feeling of as he is dipped inside the large vat, and picking out the tools for cleaning the blue droid.

 

“It just isn’t fair,” Luke sighs, suddenly, and you know what he’s talking about before he even says it, you know him so well. “Oh, Biggs is right, we’re never going to get out of here!”

 

“Don’t say that!” you exclaim, swatting at him with the nearest wrench. “My grandfather always said if you know something for certain, it’s bound to come true!”

 

“Is there anything I might do to help?”the gold droid asks, tentatively.

 

You both look over at him and smile, sadly. “I doubt it,” you say.

 

“Nah, not unless you can alter time, speed up the harvest or teleport us off this rock,” Luke agrees, choosing a cleaning tool and going over to the R2 unit.

 

“I don’t think so, Sir,” the droid replies as it basks in the oil bath. “I’m only a droid and not very knowledgeable about such matters. Not on this planet, anyway. As a matter of fact, I’m not even sure which planet we’re on.”

 

“Well, if there’s a bright centre to the universe, you’re on the planet that it’s farthest from,” Luke explains.

 

“I see, Sir,” the droid replies.

 

Luke smiles. “You can call me Luke.”

 

“I see, Sir Luke.”

 

“No, just Luke.”

 

“And I’m _(Y/N),”_ you add, smiling. “Not “Miss” or anything, just _(Y/N).”_

“Oh,” the droid replies. “And I am C3PO, human-cyborg relations, and this is my counterpart, R2D2.”

 

“Hello,” Luke replies to R2D2, trying to clean out between his plates. “You’ve got a lot of carbon scoring here, looks like you boys have seen a lot of action.”

 

“With all we’ve been through,” C3PO replies, emerging from the oil bath and wiping himself down, “I’m amazed we’re in as good condition as we are.” He sounds weary as he adds “What with the Rebellion and all.”

 

Your head jerks up and this gets Luke’s attention too as he jumps to his feet. “You know of the Rebellion against the Empire?” you ask.

 

“That’s how we came to be in your service, if you take my meaning, Miss,” C3PO replies.

 

“Have you been in many battles?” Luke asks.

 

You roll your eyes. _Just like a boy,_ you think.

 

“Several, I should think,” C3PO replies. “Actually, there’s not much to tell. I’m not much more than an interpreter and not very good at telling stories. Well, not at making them interesting, anyway.”

 

Luke nods, struggling with something stuck inside R2D2, it seems. “Well, my little friend, you’ve got something jammed in here real good,” he mutters. “Were you on a cruiser or..?”

 

He breaks off as something breaks loose from R2D2, sending him tumbling to the floor. You giggle as he looks sheepishly up at you, embarrassed about looking like an idiot in front of you, but then you’re both distracted by a hologram being projected from the little droid. It shows a woman dressed in white, probably about your age, you guess, repeating over and over again “Help me, Obi Wan Kenobi, you’re my only hope.”

 

“What’s this?” Luke asks.

 

R2D2 bleeps.

 

“What is what?” C3PO repeats, incredulously. “He asked you a question! What is that?” He gestures to the hologram, which Luke seems fascinated by. R2D2 beeps. “Oh. He says it’s nothing, Sir, merely a malfunction, old data. Pay it no mind, Sir.”

 

“Who is she?” Luke muses. “She’s beautiful.”

 

Your heart sinks but you shrug, matter-of-factly. “I suppose she is.” It comes out stiff and insincere and Luke glances up at you, looking like he’s about to backtrack, but C3PO interrupts before he can say anything.

 

“I’m afraid I’m not quite sure who she is, Sir,” he answers. “I think she was a passenger on our last voyage, a person of some importance, Sir-”

 

“Is there anymore of this recording?” Luke interrupts.

 

R2D2 whistles as you walk over to him. “Behave yourself, R2!” C3PO hisses. “You’re going to get us into trouble. It’s alright, you can trust them, they’re our new Masters now.” R2D2 beeps out a long message which C3PO quickly translates for you. “He says the property of Obi Wan Kenobi, a resident of these parts and it’s a private message for him. Quite frankly, Sir, I don’t know what he’s talking about. Our last Master was Captain Antilles, but with what we’ve been through, this little R2 unit has become a bit eccentric.”

 

R2D2 beeps again, sounding somewhat indignant. You giggle. “Well, we don’t mind, it’s cute.”

 

“I wonder if he means old Ben Kenobi,” Luke muses, glancing at you.

 

“You reckon?” you ask, sitting down opposite him as the hologram plays on.

 

“I beg your pardon, Sir, but do you know what he’s talking about?” C3PO asks.

 

“Well, we don’t know anyone named Obi Wan, but old Ben lives out beyond the Dune Sea,” Luke explains. “He’s kind of a strange old hermit.” He glances back at the hologram. “Wonder who she is.”

 

You shrug. “Sounds like she’s in trouble. Maybe we should play back the whole message.”

 

Luke gets to his feet but R2D2 beeps something alarmingly. You both glance at C3PO, who states “He says the restraining bolt has short circuited his recording system. He suggests that if you remove the bolt, he might be able to play back the entire message.”

 

When Luke doesn’t do anything, too busy watching the woman in the hologram, you prompt him with a nudge and a “Luke!”

 

“Hm?” Luke rouses himself. “Oh, yeah. Well, I guess you’re too small to run away on me if I take this off.” He goes over to R2D2 and removes the bolt. “There you go.”

 

The second the bolt comes off, though, the hologram fades and dies.

 

“Well, that did _something,”_ you comment, folding your arms as Luke frowns, annoyed.

 

“Wait a minute! Where’d she go? Bring her back! Play back the entire message!”

 

“What message?” C3PO repeats as R2D2 bleeps at him. He thumps the droid on the top of the head. “The one you’ve just been playing! The one you’re carrying inside your rusty innards!”

 

“Luke! _(Y/N)!_ Come to dinner!” Beru calls from the kitchen.

 

“We’ll be right there!” you call back, getting to your feet.

 

“I’m sorry, Sir,” C3PO apologises to Luke, “but he appears to have picked up a slight flutter.”

 

“Here,” Luck says, handing the bolt to him, “see what you can do with him. We’ll be right back.”

 

You follow Luke out just as C3PO says to R2D2 “Now, just you reconsider playing that message for them.” R2D2 beeps something. “No, I don’t think he likes you at all.” R2D2 beeps again. “No, I don’t like you either,” C3PO adds.

 

You pop your head back into the garage as R2D2 makes a sad whistle. _“I_ like you, R2,” you say, before running after Luke, hearing the droid chirp happily in the background as you hurry to the kitchen. Beru smiles as you both come in and slide into your chairs, reaching eagerly for some of her delicious home cooking.

 

Luke, as ever, gets straight to the point. “You know, I think that R2 unit we bought might have been stolen.”

 

“What makes you think that?” Owen asks.

 

“Well, we stumbled across a recording whilst cleaning him,” Luke explains. “He said he belongs to someone called Obi Wan Kenobi.” Owen twitches slightly, as if that name holds some significance for him, but says nothing. “I thought he might have meant old Ben. Do you know what he’s talking about?”

 

Owen grunts and shakes his head, a dismissive noise.

 

“Maybe he’s just related to Ben,” you suggest, helping yourself to milk.

 

“That man’s just a crazy old wizard,” Owen says, slightly sharply, as he glances at the pair of you. “Tomorrow, I want you to take that R2 unit into Anchorhead and have its memory flushed. That’ll be the end of it. It belongs to us now.”

 

“But what if this Obi Wan comes looking for him?” Luke persists.

 

“He won’t,” Owen replies, gruffly. “I don’t think he exists anymore. He died about the same time as your parents.”

 

Your head shoots up. “He knew our parents?”

 

“I told you to forget it,” Own replies, testily.

 

You frown to yourself, because you never had any reason to suspect that your parents ever knew Luke’s. Your grandfather only became friendly with Owen and Beru after you met Luke, you’d always maintained the belief that he had never heard of the Skywalker family before. Mind you, he hadn’t always been happy about your friendship with Luke. Of course, he never said anything but you got the feeling that deep down he was uncomfortable with you spending so much time with the Skywalker boy.

 

You’d never had the chance to ask him why.

 

“I think those new droids are going to work out fine,” Luke says when his uncle’s finished instructing you both on where he wants the said new droids working. “In fact, I was thinking about our agreement, about us staying on another season.” You lower your fork, knowing where this is going as he gestures to both you and himself. This was something you’d talked about to each other but never agreed about bringing up with Owen, certainly not over the dinner table at any rate. “And if these new droids do work out, we want to transmit our applications to the Academy this year.”

 

Owen frowns. “You mean the next semester before harvest?”

 

“Um...” You glance worriedly at Luke, feeling he’s pushing his luck too far.

 

“Sure, there’s more than enough droids,” Luke insists.

 

“Harvest’s when I need you the most,” Owen reminds him. “Only one more season. This year I’ll be able to make enough on the harvest so I’ll be able to hire some more hands, and then you can both go to the Academy next year. You must understand I need you both here.”

 

Luke looks down-heartened, so you decide to show some support. “No disrespect, Owen, but it’s a whole ’nother year away. Are you sure you can’t manage without us just once?”

 

“It’s only one more season,” Owen replies.

 

“Yeah, that’s what you said last year when Biggs and Tank left,” Luke replies, tersely, pushing away his plate. “Come on, _(Y/N).”_

 

“I’m not done!” you protest, halfway through a mouthful with your fork in the air.

 

“Where are you going?” Beru asks.

 

“Looks like I’m going nowhere,” Luke responds. “I’m going to finish cleaning those droids.”

 

You quickly wolf down the rest of your dinner and hurry after him.

 

“Owen, they can’t stay here forever,” Beru says. “Most of their friends have gone. It means so much to both of them.”

 

“I’ll make it up to them next year, I promise,” Owen replies.

 

Beru smiles and shakes her head. _“(Y/N)’s_ too free-spirited to stay here much longer, and Luke’s just not a farmer, Owen. He has too much of his father in him.”

 

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” Owen replies, grimly.

 

You jog after Luke and catch up with him just as he reaches the outskirts of where the house sits. You follow his gaze over across the deserted sands of Tatooine, knowing what he’s thinking, that one day he has to get off this planet, you both do. You too are thirsting for the feel of a new sun, the touch of a new sky, the thrill of an adventure just waiting around the corner, but on a planet like this one, it’s not likely to ever happen. But Luke’s always been so determined to make it happen, and you know him, once he puts his mind to something, there’s no stopping him. He’s always said that wherever he ends up, you’ve got to “tag along too,” and you’re perfectly fine with that. After all, you’d follow Luke Skywalker to the ends of the galaxy and back.

 

The suns are beginning to set and you shiver, knowing it’ll be dark soon. “We should get back to those droids,” you say.

 

Reluctantly, Luke agrees and you both make your way back to the now dark garage, only to find that the droids are nowhere in sight. Luke pulls a small box, similar to the ones the Jawas had used on the droids they had for sale, out of his pocket, and presses a button, and no sooner has he done that then C3PO pops up from behind one of the crafts.

 

“What are you doing hiding there?” Luke asks.

 

“It wasn’t my fault, Sir!” C3PO babbles, waving his arms nervously. “Please don’t deactivate me!”

 

“What are you talking about?” you ask.

 

“I told him not to go, but he’s faulty, malfunctioning, kept babbling on about his mission,” C3PO explains.

 

You and Luke both groan. “Oh, no!” Luke sighs, running out of the garage. You race after him, followed by C3PO and shield your eyes from the glare of the dying suns as Luke scans the landscape with his binoculars.

 

“That R2 unit has always been a problem,” C3PO complains. “These astro-droids are getting quite out of hand. Even I can’t understand their logic at times.”

 

“How could we be so stupid?” Luke sighs, lowering his binoculars. “He’s nowhere in sight.”

 

“Damn!” you sigh.

 

“Pardon me, Mistress, but oughtn’t we go after him?” C3PO asks.

 

You shake your head. “It’s too dangerous with all the Sandpeople around. Trust me, 3PO, you don’t want to meet one of them in the dark.”

 

“She’s right,” Luke agrees. “We’ll have to wait until morning.”

 

“Luke, _(Y/N)!_ I’m shutting the power down for the night!” Owen shouts from the house.

 

“We’ll be right there!” you shout back.

 

“Boy, are we going to get it,” Luke groans, turning to C3PO. “You know, that little droid is going to cause us a lot of trouble.”

 

“Oh, he excels at that, Sir,” C3PO replies.


	2. Sandpeople and Sabers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You are Luke Skywalker’s best friend, who goes with him on his epic adventure from Tatooine to Endor; befriending droids and Wookies, rescuing Princesses, aiding “scoundrels” in distress and training to become Jedi Knights. But there’s always been a little part of both of you that wants more than just friendship...

The next morning, you and Luke breakfast before Owen and Beru are even up, and by the time Beru is up, you’re ready to leave. You make an excuse to her that you have some things to do before you start today, and you’re taking the two new droids with you, which, thankfully, she doesn’t question. Next news, you’re speeding along the sands in Luke’s Landspeeder, you in the driver’s seat for a change, with Luke and C3PO beside you. You’re soon miles out from the house and you shake your head.

 

“I don’t see R2 coming out this far,” you say. “Unless we somehow passed him.”

 

“Wait, there’s something dead ahead on the scanner,” Luke says, pointing. “Could be our droid, hit the accelerator.”

 

You do so and the ‘Speeder whirs faster on until you spot the little blue and white droid in the distance and catch up to him. Luke grabs his long laser rifle as he hops out of the ‘Speeder, and you follow, warily, with C3PO. “Hey, whoa, just where do you think you’re going?” Luke calls, as the three of you manage to stop R2D2 in his tracks.

 

R2D2 whistled out a feeble reply as C3PO looked rather annoyed...for a droid.

 

“Master Luke and Mistress _(Y/N)_ are your rightful owners. We’ll have no more of this Obi Wan Kenobi gibberish! And don’t talk to me about your mission, either! You’re fortunate they don’t blast you into a million pieces right here!”

 

“No, it’s alright,” you interrupt the gold droid, slightly alarmed by the fact he seems to think that you and Luke would do such a thing. “Come on, we need to get back before-”

 

You’re interrupted by R2D2 immediately whistling shrilly in alarm.

 

“What’s wrong with him now?” Luke asks.

 

“There are several creatures approaching from the south east,” C3Po replies, sounding equally as alarmed as R2D2.

 

You and Luke exchange a glance and say in unison “Sandpeople.”

 

“Or worse,” Luke adds, picking up his rifle. “Come on, let’s have a look.”

 

You stare at him. “Luke, have you gone _mental?_ You know how dangerous they can be!”

 

“Dangerous?” C3PO repeats, stiffening.

 

“Very,” you confirm.

 

“Oh, come on, we’ll be fine,” Luke insists.

 

You groan, dramatically, but follow him anyway to the top of a rocky ridge where you lie and squint into the distance. Luke pulls out his binoculars and scans the area as C3PO comes up behind you.

 

“Well?” you ask.

 

“Well, there are two Banthas down there, but I don’t see any...wait. They’re Sandpeople alright, I can see one of them now.”

 

You shriek as suddenly a Sandperson suddenly appears right in front of you, large as life, wielding its spear-like double-sided axe as it shrieks at the three of you. C3PO is so startled he falls back off the ridge as Luke deflects the blow from the axe with his rifle but it is promptly cut in half as he gets thrown back against the ridge, inches away from the deep crevice on the other side. You leap up and leap at the Raider from behind, but it elbows you hard in the stomach and knocks you down, all the breath taken out of you. The Raider swing around and catches you a glancing blow that stuns you out of consciousness and you hear Luke yell your name before everything goes dark.

 

_You’re six years old again, playing on the edge of the sandy play-yard for children your age, alone as you map out a picture of you getting ready to pilot a craft for the Rebellion against the Empire with a stick in the sand. Alright, you’re no artist, but it looks good to you, or at least it does until three bigger boys come running up and stomp all over it._

_“Hey!” you shout, realising as you look up who it is. Del Beren’s parents know your grandfather and whenever they come around to say hello, he takes the opportunity to bully you. You try and stand up for yourself, but he’s a lot bigger than you and telling on him only makes him bully you harder._

_“You’re just pathetic, (Y/N)!” he sneers. “What makes you think_ you’d _ever be a space pilot?”_

_“The fact I’m smarter than you!” you shoot back. They all laugh and you bristle. “At least_ I _can add two and two!”_

_Del’s expression hardens and he grabs you by the shoulder of your shirt. You squeak in alarm as he drags you up off your feet and shoves you back down again. You land hard on your arm as the three of them glare menacingly at you. You look around, desperately, but no grown ups are anywhere near you, there’s only another young boy playing by himself a few feet away who doesn’t seem to have noticed you need help. You’ve seen him here a few times, a quiet boy with dark blonde to mousy brown hair and blue eyes, but neither of you have ever really spoken to each other, he’s a loner just like you._

_“Think she needs teaching a lesson,” one of Del’s friends grunts, bunching up his fingers into fists. You gasp and throw your arms over your head as you curl up into a ball, hoping that like this they won’t be able to hurt you very much. Your apparent fear only makes them laugh harder, and then you shriek as Del punches you in the side, hard, his fist feeling like a rock in your ribs._

_“Leave her alone!”_

_You open your eyes as your tormentors turn to see the young loner boy standing behind them. He’s smaller than Del, so, naturally, Del thinks he’s easy prey, although the fact that your apparent saviour doesn’t look frightened and just stares back at Del with confidence makes him a little uneasy._

_“Oh, yes? Who’s this who thinks he’s so tough?” he scoffs, raising a fist to take a swing at the newcomer. The other boy, however, waits until Del has his arm in the air before pushing him, hard. Del stumbles backwards, falls over you and lands hard on his back, winded. Your rescuer glares at the other two boys, who step away, worried he’s going to attack them, and look worriedly at Del. Looking like he’s trying very hard not to start crying at being pushed down so hard by someone a heck of a lot smaller than him, Del scrabbles to his feet and runs for it, and his cronies run after him._

_You push yourself up in relief, rubbing your arm and your side. The boy turns to you in concern. “Are you alright?” he asks, holding out a hand to help you to your feet._

_“I think so,” you reply, brushing yourself down. He might be smaller than Del, but he’s a little bit taller than you, you note as he smiles down at you. You smile back, touched that he helped you. “Thanks for that.”_

_“You’re welcome. Why were they picking on you?”_

_“Because they’re bullies and it’s what they do. But I think they’ll leave me alone now.”_

_He shrugs and then says, brightly, “Want to play?”_

_“Sure,” you say. “I’m (Y/N).”_

_“I’m Luke.”_

_“(Y/N)?_ Are you alright?”

 

You blink as Luke swims into focus, leaning over you to check that you’re ok. “I think so,” you groan, pushing yourself into a sitting position and looking around. “Where’d the Sandpeople go?”

 

“They got scared off,” Luke replies, nodding to someone on your other side. You turn and recognise the kindly-faced old man in the brown cloak sitting beside you, smiling benevolently.

 

“The Jundland wastelands are not to be travelled lightly, young _(Y/N),”_ Ben Kenobi advises you. “Tell me, what brings you two out this far?”

 

“This little droid,” Luke answers, pointing to R2D2 as he helps you to your feet. “We think he’s searching for his former Master, but neither of us have ever seen such devotion in a droid before.”

 

You brush yourself off and smile at Ben. “He says his owner’s called Obi Wan Kenobi, is he a relative of yours?”

 

Ben looks a mixture of startled and thoughtful. “Obi Wan Kenobi...” he repeats. “That’s a name I’ve not heard for a long time...a long time.”

 

“I think my Uncle knows him,” Luke says. “He said he was dead.”

 

“Oh, he’s not dead,” Ben replies, adding with a slight, knowing chuckle. “Not yet.”

 

“Then you _do_ know him?” you ask.

 

“Well, of course I know him, he’s me,” Ben announces, smiling. “I haven’t gone by the name Obi Wan since, oh, before either of you were born.”

 

“Then the droid does belong to you,” Luke realises.

 

“I don’t seem to remember ever owning a droid,” Ben replies, mystified as he glances at R2D2. “Very interesting...” He glances upwards, suddenly. “I think we’d better get indoors. Sandpeople are easily startled, but they’ll soon be back, and in greater numbers.”

 

You and Luke go to follow him but are stopped by R2D2 bleeping, reminding you who you’ve forgotten.

 

“3PO,” Luke sighs.

 

Th three of you hurry back in the direction of the ridge and you spot something gold lying in the sand, C3PO’s arm. A little way away, you find the rest of the droid and Luke and Ben help him into a sitting position.

 

“Where am I?” C3PO asks, disorientated. “I must have taken a bad step.”

 

“Can you stand?” Luke asks. “We’ve got to get out of here.”

 

“I don’t think I can make it,” C3PO says. “You go on, Master Luke. There’s no sense risking yourself on my account. I’m done for.”

 

“No, you’re not, what kind of talk is that?” Luke says, helping the droid up.

 

“Quickly,” Ben warns. “They’re on the move.”

 

You load the droids into the ‘Speeder and this time it’s Luke who drives back to Ben’s home, which is somewhat like yours, only carved into the side of a mountain. Thankfully, he has tools and you and Luke are able to repair C3PO easily. The subject of the wars between Empire and Rebels comes up and for some reason Ben mentions Luke’s father, and your mother.

 

“No, my father didn’t fight in the wars,” Luke says, finishing fixing C3PO. “He was a navigator on a spice freighter.”

 

“That’s what your Uncle told you,” Ben smiles. “He didn’t hold with your father’s ideals. Thought he should have stayed here and not gotten involved.”

 

“Well, my mother certainly didn’t fight in the wars,” you say, sitting down on a stool opposite Ben. “Grandfather said she was a teacher.”

 

“And so she was,” Ben replies, calmly. “She taught at the Jedi Academy...before it was wiped out. She was one of the best Jedi of all time. It was a privilege to fight alongside her.”

 

“You fought in the Clone Wars?” Luke asks.

 

“Yes, I was once a Jedi Knight, the same as your father, Luke,” Ben replies, looking at you. “And your mother.”

 

You frown. “What about my father? Was he really a star-pilot like Grandfather always said?”

 

“Yes, he was,” Ben says, glancing at Luke. “Your father taught him a trick or two.”

 

“I wish I’d known him,” Luke admits.

 

“He was the best star-pilot in the galaxy,” Ben states, “along with yours, _(Y/N),_ not to mention a cunning warrior. I understand you two have become quite the pilots yourselves. They were all good friends...which reminds me...” He gets up and goes over to a chest, from which he pulls out a box. “Your parents wanted the two of you to have these when you were old enough, but your Uncle and Grandfather wouldn’t allow it. They feared you’d both follow Obi Wan on some idealistic crusade like your parents did.”

 

“Sir, if you’ll not be needing me, I’ll close down for a while,” C3Po states.

 

“Sure,” Luke shrugs. You get to your feet as C3PO powers down and Ben comes up to you and opens the box, revealing two short grey handles with small attachments on the sides. “What are they?” Luke asks.

 

“Your parents’ lightsabers,” Ben replies, handing them to you. “These are the weapons of Jedi Knights. Not as clumsy or random as a blaster.” Luke switches his saber on and it hums with a length of bright blue light. You flip yours on and it does the same in _(Y/F/C)._ “An elegant weapon,” Ben continues, “for a more civilised time. For over a thousand generations, the Jedi Knights were the guardians of peace and justice in the Old Republic. Before the dark times, before the Empire.”

 

You and Luke switch off your lightsabers. “How did they die?” Luke asks.

 

Ben knows he’s referring to his father and your mother. “A young Jedi named Darth Vader, who was a pupil of mine before he turned evil, helped the Empire hunt down and destroy the Jedi Knights. He betrayed and murdered your father, and sent the Imperial Troopers who destroyed the Jedi Academy and killed your parents, _(Y/N)._ Now the Jedi are all but extinct. Vader was seduced by the Dark Side of the Force.”

 

“The Force?” you repeat, sitting beside him.

 

“The Force is what gives a Jedi his power,” Ben explains. “It’s an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us, and penetrates us, it binds the galaxy together.” Perking up at hearing this, R2D2 bleeps a few times. Ben smiles at him. “Now, let’s see if we can’t figure out what you are, my little friend, and where you come from.”

 

He pats R2D2, who begins to play the holographic image the young woman again.

 

“We saw part of a message he was-” Luke begins.

 

“I seem to have found it,” Ben cuts across him.

 

“General Kenobi,” the woman says as the whole message plays. “Years ago, you served my Father in the Clone Wars. Now he begs you to help him in his struggle against the Empire. I regret that I am unable to present my request to you in person, but my ship has fallen under attack and I’m afraid my mission to bring you to Alderaan has failed. I have placed information vital to the survival of this Rebellion into the memory systems of this R2 unit. My father will know how to retrieve it. You must see this droid safely delivered to him on Alderaan. This is our most desperate hour. Help me, Obi Wan Kenobi, you’re my only hope.”

 

She turns, as if interrupted, and proceeds to lean forward, probably to slot the message into R2D2, before the hologram dies. You lean forward, intrigued now you’ve heard the whole message. The woman must be important, like C3PO said, if she’s able to make formal request for help on behalf of her entire planet, but does the fact that her ship’s been attacked mean that she’s now trapped wherever she is, unable to get back home. The thrill of adventure suddenly tingles in your veins.

 

“You two must learn the ways of the Force if you’re to come with me to Alderaan,” Ben says, suddenly.

 

“Alderaan?” Luke repeats. “We’re not going to Alderaan, we’ve got to get home. It’s late, we’re in for it as it is.”

 

“I need your help, Luke,” Ben says. “She needs your help. I’m getting too old for this sort of thing.”

 

You look at Luke. “We’ve got to help. This could be our one chance.”

 

“We can’t,” Luke argues. “We’ve got work to do.”

 

“Earlier you were all for leaving this planet, now all you want to do is stay?” you exclaim, unable to believe you’re hearing this.

 

“We can’t get involved.” Luke turns to Ben. “It’s not that I like the Empire, I hate it. But there’s nothing I can do about it right now, it’s such a long way from here.”

 

“That’s your Uncle talking,” Ben replies.

 

“My Uncle...” Luke groans. “How am I ever going to explain this?”

 

“Learn about the Force, Luke,” Ben advises.

 

You look between the old Jedi and your best friend, feeling torn. You really, really want to learn the ways of the Force and become a Jedi like your mother, but on the other hand you don’t want to leave Luke behind. But you don’t want to stay here with him; you want him to come with you.

 

You make up your mind and step up to Ben. “I’ll go with you.” Luke looks at you in surprise, slightly hurt that you’re not siding with him like you usually do. You glance back at him. “We have to go.”

 

Luke sighs. “Look, I can take you as far as Anchorhead. You can get a transport there to Mos Eisley, or wherever you’re going.”

 

You notice he’s deliberately not looking at you as he says it and your shoulders slump.

 

“You must do what you feel is right,” Ben murmurs.

 


	3. "These Are Not The Droids You're Looking For"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You are Luke Skywalker’s best friend, who goes with him on his epic adventure from Tatooine to Endor; befriending droids and Wookies, rescuing Princesses, aiding “scoundrels” in distress and training to become Jedi Knights. But there’s always been a little part of both of you that wants more than just friendship...

The journey towards Anchorhead is a quiet one. Ben is deep in thought, Luke is a mixture of regretful that he can’t leave home and annoyed with you for suddenly deciding to abandon him in favour of being a Jedi, the droids are quiet for fear of saying something that might upset someone and you just can’t think of anything to say. Before too long, however, you come across a Jawa Sandcrawler, or rather, what remains of one, because it looks to have been attacked by Sandpeople. Luke pulls up the ‘Speeder and the five of you examine the wreckage, the smouldering rubble and scattered bodies of slaughtered Jawas.

 

“It looks like Sandpeople did this alright,” Luke says, crouching down by one body and shaking his head. “Look, here are Gaffi sticks, Bantha tracks...”

 

You shudder, thinking of the poor innocent Jawas, simple scavenging folk just trying to make a living. “I’ve never heard of them hitting anything this big before.”

 

“They didn’t, but we are meant to think they did,” Ben says, examining the tracks. “These tracks are side by side. Sandpeople always ride single file to hide their numbers.”

 

“These are the same Jawas that sold us 3PO and R2,” Luke realises.

 

“And these blast points are too accurate for Sandpeople,” Ben adds. “Only Imperial Stormtroopers are so precise.”

 

“But why would Imperial troops want to slaughter Jawas?” you ask. Even as you say it, you turn to C3PO and R2D2. “Wait...they must have been after whatever R2’s holding onto for the people in Alderaan.”

 

“If they traced the droids here,” Luke realises, “then they may have learned who they sold them to, and that would lead them...home!”

 

“Wait, Luke!” Ben calls as your best friend races to the Landspeeder. “It’s too dangerous!”

 

“He won’t listen,” you sigh, running forwards, but Luke takes off before you can get in. You stare after him, before shouting “Oh, well, thanks a lot!” Annoyed, you kick at a stray piece of metal on the ground. “Everything I do for you..!”

 

“He can’t get there in time.” You turn to see Ben standing with his eyes closed. “I can feel a disturbance in the Force...two people being instantly removed from the galaxy...”

 

Your heart lurches. “No! Not Owen and Beru! They can’t..!”

 

Ben looks at you. “I’m sorry, _(Y/N)._ I know you were very fond of them too.”

 

 _“Fond?”_ You shake your head. “They always treated me like family. When Luke said I could come and live with them, they were more than welcoming.” You sink down onto the sand and bring your knees up to your chin, tears spilling even as you wipe them away fiercely. “Is there nothing we can do?”

 

“I’m afraid not,” Ben replies, gently and sorrowfully.

 

How long you wait for Luke to come back, you have no idea, but it feels like forever. Suddenly you know you really can’t abandon him, not now he needs you most. You feel a surge of hate towards the Empire for having slaughtered two innocent people accidently mixed up with the Rebellion without even knowing it. It makes you more determined than ever to become a Jedi and join the Rebels, but you don’t want to do it without Luke. Eventually, his ‘Speeder comes into view and you scrabble to your feet and run up to him. He doesn’t need to say anything to you, the look on his face is enough and you hug him, tightly, letting him know you’re there for him.

 

“There wasn’t anything you could do, Luke,” Ben states, wisely. “You’d have been killed too, and the droids would now be in the hands of the Empire.”

 

You and Luke break out of your hug to look over at him, a new sense of determination filling your best friend. “I want to come with you to Alderaan,” Luke says. “There’s nothing here for me now. I want to learn the ways of the Force and become a Jedi, like my father.”

 

With a grin, you hug him again before the five of you pile into the Landspeeder and drive to Mos Eisley spaceport, described to you by Ben as “a wretched hive of scum and villainy,” and he advises you to be careful there. When you reach the street, your heart sinks seeing that there are Imperial Troopers checking everyone as they drive in.

 

“How long have you had these droids?” one questions Luke.

 

“About three or four seasons,” Luke answers.

 

“They’re fairly old,” you add.

 

“They are for sale if you want them,” Ben smiles.

 

“Let me see your identification,” the Trooper says.

 

You feel a flurry of nerves in your stomach but Ben waves a hand and says in a controlled voice “You don’t need to see his identification.”

 

The Trooper glances at its companion. “We don’t need to see his identification,” it says.

 

“These are not the droids you’re looking for,” Ben goes on as you and Luke watch in astonishment as he uses mind-control on the Stormtroopers.

 

“These aren’t the droids we’re looking for,” the Trooper agrees.

 

“He can go about his business,” Ben adds.

 

“You can go about your business,” the Trooper tells Luke.

 

“Move along,” Ben finishes.

 

“Move along, move along,” the Trooper repeats, waving your Landspeeder on.

 

Ben instructs Luke to pull up the ‘Speeder outside a rundown blockhouse cantina, and a Jawa immediately comes running up to examine the craft. You swat it away in annoyance as C3PO states primly “I can’t abide these Jawas, disgusting creatures.”

 

“I can’t understand how we got by those Troopers,” Luke says to Ben. “I thought we were dead.”

 

“The Force can have a strong influence on the weak-minded,” Ben replies. “You will find it a powerful ally.”

 

“Do you really think we’ll find a pilot here, Ben?” you ask, glancing uneasily around the place. The alien, and human, life you see in front of you are what can only be described as, well, scum, the lowest forms you’d ever expect to find anywhere on Tatooine. One passing man with only one eye gives you a toothless grin and a leer than causes Luke to step protectively closer to you. You nod, gratefully, at him, because that’s one area where Luke’s always been very reliable, in shielding you from letches like that.

 

“Well, most of the best freighter pilots can be found here,” Ben replies, leading the way to the cantina. “Only watch your step, this place can be a little rough. Keep close to her,” he mutters to Luke.

 

“I’m ready for anything,” Luke replies.

 

“Come along, R2,” C3PO calls, impatiently.

 

The four of you make your way inside, where you’re greeted with an array of different aliens, the strangest you’ve ever seen in your life. Ben, unfazed, having seen it all before, walks immediately up to the bar, but you and Luke just stop and stare...at least until a voice says “We don’t serve their kind here!”

 

You look up to see the barman pointing at you and Luke. “Sorry, what?”

 

“Your droids,” the barman replies, roughly. “They’ll have to wait outside, we don’t want them here.”

 

Ben is now talking to one of the creatures standing at the bar, a very tall, hairy looking one, whilst the others crowded around the bar are looking at you and Luke, and eyeing your droids with something bordering on hatred. Luke goes over to C3PO and advises him and R2D2 to wait by the ‘Speeder, and they comply, whilst you squeeze into an empty gap at the bar and clear your throat for the barman to serve you, which he unwillingly does. Luke comes up to stand beside you and tugs on the barman’s shirt to be served, and once again it’s done with the same good, ahem, _bad,_ grace as before. You’re glad of Luke’s presence because this place feels a little sinister, and you always feel safer with Luke around.

 

Suddenly you’re caught off-guard when a creature next to you suddenly gives you a rough shove and you look up into a rather hideous face of some half-blue, half-pale-skin-toned creature that gibbers and babbles aggressively and unintelligibly at you.

 

 _“Negola dewaghi wooldugger?”_ it burbles, at least that’s what it sounds like it’s trying to say.

 

“Uh, Luke?” you say, tugging his sleeve worriedly as the creature babbles again, sounding like it’s demanding an answer to a question you don’t understand. You back up against Luke’s side as he notices what’s going on and whimper a tiny _“Help.”_

 

Luke quickly moves to your other side as man with a deformed face gets his attention. “He doesn’t like your friend, or you.”

 

“Sorry,” Luke apologises, reaching behind him to squeeze your hand to reassure you as you try to smile nervously at the two aggressive brutes. “Come on,” he murmurs, making to move you both away, but the man grabs his shoulder and turns him to face him.

 

 _“I_ don’t like you either,” he hisses. “You just watch yourselves. We’re wanted men. I have a death sentence in twelve systems.”

 

“We’ll be careful,” Luke replies, trying again to pull away from the man, who grabs him again.

 

“You’ll be _dead!”_ he corrects Luke.

 

“These little ones aren’t worth the effort,” Ben says, coming up behind you and pulling Luke free of the man. “Now, let me get you something.”

 

For some reason, and later in life you’ll still find yourself pondering what that reason was, this doesn’t sit well with the man as he suddenly brings back his arm in a powerful lash and knocks Luke across the room and into a table of drinks. “Luke!” you yelp as Obi Wan activates his lightsaber, the man produces a blaster, the barman dives down behind the counter yelling “No blasters, no blasters!” and in one clean movement, the blue creature, getting in the way to defend his companion from Ben, loses an arm in one stroke of the lightsaber.

 

You stare down at the severed arm, feeling slightly sick, before glancing at Ben, who calmly switches his saber off and pockets it. The wounded creature and his friend hurry away, moaning, as the bar scene returns to normal like nothing’s happened. Coming back to your senses, you bend down and pull Luke to his feet.

 

“I’m alright,” he groans, rubbing his head.

 

“I thought he was about to kill you,” you say as Ben comes and ushers you both towards a table. Beside him is the hairy biped he was talking to earlier and he mutters to you two “Chewbacca here is first mate on a ship that might suit our needs.”

 

You follow Chewbacca over to an empty table and soon a man comes up, older than you both, not as old as Owen and Beru but certainly old enough to have had his share of adventures around the galaxy. He’s kind of handsome, you note, in a roguish, troublesome sort of way, but somehow it doesn’t stir your heart the way it does when you see Luke. He comes and sits down beside Chewbacca, nodding at you in greeting.

 

“Han Solo, I’m Captain of the Millennium Falcon,” he says. His voice sounds kind of attractive, you note, and for some reason it makes you blush. Luke glances at you oddly and you wonder if he’s noticed the way your cheeks have heated up. “Chewie here tells me you’re looking for passage to the Alderaan System.”

 

“Yes, indeed, if it’s a fast ship,” Ben replies, steadily.

 

“Fast ship?” Han repeats. “You’ve never heard of the Millennium Falcon?”

 

“Should I have?” Ben asks, mildly.

 

“It’s the ship that made the Kessel run in less than twelve parsecs. I’ve outrun Imperial Startroopers, not the local bulk-cruisers, mind you, I’m talking about the big Corellian ships now. She’s fast enough for you, old man. What’s the cargo?”

 

“Just myself, these two, two droids and no questions asked,” Ben replies, firmly.

 

“What is it, some kind of local trouble?” Han grins.

 

“Let’s just say we’d like to avoid any Imperial entanglement,” Ben says.

 

“Well, that’s the trick, isn’t it?” Han replies, slyly. “And it’s going to cost you extra. Ten thousand in advance.”

 

“Ten thousand?” Luke repeats. “We could buy our own ship for that!”

 

“But who’s gonna fly it, kid?” Han asks. “You?”

 

Luke bristles at being referred to as “kid” in front of you, especially by a man who in no way can be as experienced in anything as Ben is. “You bet I could!” he fires back. “I’m not such a bad pilot! We don’t have to sit here and listen...”

 

Ben stops him from getting up and leaving as he turns to Han. “We’ll pay you two thousand now, plus fifteen thousand when we reach Alderaan.”

 

Even your jaw drops at that as Han’s eyes widen. “Seventeen thousand? Alright, you lot got yourselves a ship. We’ll leave as soon as you’re ready, Docking Bay Ninety Four.”

 

“Ninety Four,” Ben repeats, nodding.

 

Han glances over your shoulders. “Looks like somebody’s beginning to take an interest in your handiwork.”

 

You turn to see four Imperial Stormtroopers questioning the barman over the severed arm on the floor. By the time they look over at your table, however, you, Luke and Ben are gone. You’ve no desire to get into any kind of trouble with Stormtroopers just when you’re about to leave this miserable planet for good.

 

“You’ll have to sell the ‘Speeder,” Ben tells Luke.

 

“That’s ok, we’re never coming back to this planet again,” Luke replies.

 

“It’s a pity, though,” you sigh. “I learned to fly in that ‘Speeder.”

 

You make your way with Ben to a used ‘Speeder lot, where you’re able to make enough, according to Ben, to pay Han for the journey, even with older ‘Speeders like Luke’s not really being in demand anymore. You wave goodbye to the faithful old craft before following catching up to Luke and Ben, sticking close to Luke as a few more aliens leer over the fact that you’re a young, and rather attractive, woman, a rare sight in a place like this. As you reach Docking Bay Ninety Four, after grabbing the droids en route, you’re greeted by Chewbacca who leads the five of you to an enormous ship that makes your eyes widen at the sheer size and design.

 

“Whoa...” you murmur.

 

Luke, however, is less impressed, as he exclaims “What a piece of junk!”

 

Han Solo emerges from the boarding ramp. “She may not look like much, but she’s got it where it counts, kid. I added some special modifications myself. But, we’re a little rushed, so if you’ll hurry aboard, we’ll get out of here.”

 

You take the initiative and hurry into the ship, finding the passenger cabin easily. You’ve never actually been in a ship before, and in spite of Luke’s reservations, you find it all fascinating. The sound of sudden gunfire and Han shouting “Chewie, get us out of here!” prompts you to throw yourself into a seat and buckle up. Luke, Ben and C3PO do the same as C3PO moans “Oh, I’d forgotten how much I _hate_ space travel!”

 

The Falcon rises into the air and takes off into the sky and it’s only when Ben murmurs to you “Relax, _(Y/N),”_ that you realise you’ve got your eyes closed. Opening them, you also note that you seem to have grabbed Luke’s hand during take-off, but either he hasn’t noticed or doesn’t mind because he hasn’t said anything. It quickly becomes apparent, however, that you’re being chased by Imperial ships, and so the three of you make your way into the cramped cockpit where Han and Chewie are desperately trying to make the jump to lightspeed.

 

“Why don’t you outrun them?” Luke exclaims. “I thought you said this thing was fast!”

 

“Watch your mouth, kid, or you’re going to find yourself floating home!” Han snaps back. “We’ll be safe enough once we make the jump to hyperspace. Besides, I know a few manoeuvres, we’ll lose them.” He grins at you as an explosion flashes outside the window. “Here’s where the fun begins.”

 

You smile back, crossing your fingers as Ben asks “How long before you can make the jump to lightspeed?”

 

“It takes a few minutes to get the co-ordinates from the navi-computer,” Han replies.

 

“Are you kidding?” Luke exclaims. “At the rate they’re gaining-!”

 

“Travelling through hyperspace isn’t like dusting crops, boy,” Han interrupts, tersely. “Without precise calculations, we could fly right through a star or bounce too close to a supernova, and that’d end your trip real quick, wouldn’t it?”

 

A warning light begins to flash on the console but as Luke points this out, he gets battered away by Han, who orders you all to strap yourselves back in and hang on tight. You run to do so and in a matter of seconds, the Millennium Falcon makes the jump to lightspeed. You breathe out in relief, knowing that the Imperial ships have probably given up, so you’re safe.

 

For now.


	4. The Space Station

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You are Luke Skywalker’s best friend, who goes with him on his epic adventure from Tatooine to Endor; befriending droids and Wookies, rescuing Princesses, aiding “scoundrels” in distress and training to become Jedi Knights. But there’s always been a little part of both of you that wants more than just friendship...

As the journey becomes steadily smoother, Ben decides that it’s time for you and Luke to start practising with your lightsabers, using a small Seeker droid that hovers in the air and lets out random blasts of energy that you have to deflect with your sabers. It’s tricky to get the hang of at first but you quickly pick up on it, becoming instantly better than Luke, much to his chagrin, and you take the opportunity to playfully tease him about it.

 

All of a sudden, Ben turns away and sits down, looking startled and faint, as if something’s just happened that he can’t quite believe. You and Luke stop your exercises and go over to him.

 

“Ben, what is it?” you ask, worriedly.

 

“I felt a great disturbance in the Force,” Ben says, “as though millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced. I fear something terrible has happened.” Pulling himself together, he gestures to Luke. “You’d better get on with your exercises. _(Y/N),_ you can stop for a while.”

 

You grin cheekily at Luke as you sit down beside Ben whilst your best friend goes back to deflecting lasers from the Seeker droid.

 

“Well, you can forget your troubles with those Imperial slugs,” Han grins as he walks proudly into the room. “I told you I’d outrun them.” Ben and Luke barely hear him, too busy with the Seeker, and Chewie is playing a game in the corner with C3PO and R2D2. “Don’t everyone thank me at once,” Han adds, bitterly.

 

You look over at him and smile, sweetly. “Thank you, Han.”

 

This earns you a grin from him. Luke looks over at you, distracted for a second, and almost gets zapped by the Seeker. You try not to giggle as he scowls at the little droid.

 

“Anyway, we should be at Alderaan in about, oh, two hundred hours,” Han adds.

 

Chewie roars about something in the game and you look over as C3PO says “He made a perfectly fair move, screaming about it won’t do any good.”

 

“Let him have it,” Han advises. “It’s not wise to upset a Wookiee.”

 

“But, Sir, no one worries about upsetting a droid,” C3PO points out.

 

“That’s because droids don’t pull people’s arms out of their sockets if they lose. Wookiees are known to do that.”

 

You can’t help grinning as Chewbacca casually puts both arms behind his head in a satisfied manner, looking like he could very easily rip C3PO’s arm off if he wanted to.

 

“I see your point, Sir,” C3PO says, before addressing his counterpart. “I suggest a new strategy, R2; let the Wookiee win!”

 

You giggle before going back to watching Luke practising with the Seeker droid. He’s concentrating very hard, perhaps too hard, you note, that might be his problem.

 

“Remember,” Ben advises, softly, “a Jedi can feel the Force flowing through him.”

 

“You mean it controls your actions?” Luke queries.

 

“Partially, but it also obeys your commands,” Ben replies.

 

Luke waits for the Seeker to make a move, and eventually, quick as lightning, it does, too quickly for Luke to deflect the blast of energy that hits him in the leg and causes him to almost drop his lightsaber.

 

Han laughs. “Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster on your side, kid.”

 

“You don’t believe in the Force?” you ask, glancing over at him as Luke deactivates his saber.

 

“I’ve flown from one side of this galaxy to the other. I’ve seen a lot of strange stuff, but I’ve never seen anything make me believe there’s one all-powerful force controlling everything,” Han replies. “There’s no mystical energy field that controls _my_ destiny. It’s all a load of simple tricks and nonsense.”

 

Ben smiles and gets to his feet. “I suggest you try it again, Luke, but this time, let go your conscious self and act on instinct, like _(Y/N).”_

 

You smile at the praise as Ben puts a helmet on Luke that obscures his vision. Luke laughs in disbelief.

 

“With the blast shied down I can’t even see. How am I supposed to fight?”

 

“Your eyes can deceive you,” Ben replies. “Don’t trust them.”

 

Han just shakes his head, sceptically, as Luke readies himself for the Seeker again. It teases him a bit at first, deciding when to make its move, but this time when it fires its lasers, Luke’s more ready for it, although he still misses.

 

“Stretch out with your feelings,” Ben advises.

 

You cross your fingers, knowing Luke can do it, deep down. He tries again and this time is able to deflect the blast easily, much to your delight.

 

“You see? You can do it,” Ben smiles.

 

“I call it luck,” Han scoffs.

 

“In my experience, there’s no such thing as luck,” Ben replies.

 

“Look, going good against remotes is one thing,” Han says as Luke removes his helmet. “Going good against the living, that’s something else.” He glances into the cockpit. “Looks like we’re coming up on Alderaan.”

 

As he and Chewbacca head back into the cockpit, Luke comes up to you and Ben. “You know, I did feel something. I could almost see the remote.”

 

“That’s good,” Ben smiles. “You’ve both taken your first steps into a larger world.”

 

You pad into the cockpit to see Han frowning at a storm of flying rubble and debris all around the ship, although Chewbacca remains cool and collected throughout the whole ordeal.

 

“What’s happening?” you ask.

 

“Some kind of asteroid collision,” Han says, looking confused as he checks the navigation systems again. “It’s not on any of the charts.” Luke and Ben join you as you scan the star-clustered horizon for anything that looks like a planet. “Our position is correct, except...no Alderaan.”

 

“What do you mean?” Luke exclaims. “Where is it?”

 

“That’s what I’m trying to tell you, kid, it ain’t there,” Han explains. “It’s been totally blown away.”

 

“How?” you frown, staring at what’s left of the planet crumbling around you.

 

“Destroyed by the Empire,” Ben murmurs.

 

“The entire starfleet couldn’t destroy a whole planet,” Han argues. “It’d take a thousand ships with more firepower than I’ve-” He breaks off as a light on the control panel starts to flash and a muffled alarm beeps somewhere in the cockpit. “There’s another ship coming in.”

 

“Maybe they know what happened,” Luke suggests.

 

“It’s an Imperial fighter,” Ben points out as it sweeps past the window.

 

“It followed us!” Luke exclaims.

 

“No, it’s a short-range fighter,” Ben replies.

 

“There aren’t any bases around here, where did it come from?” Han asks.

 

“Wherever it came from, it’s leaving in a hurry,” you note.

 

“Not if I can help it,” Han mutters. “Chewie, jam it’s transmissions.”

 

“You’d be as well to let it go,” Ben advises, “it’s too far out of range.”

 

“Not for long,” Han counters.

 

As the Falcon begins to gain on the fighter, you watch it streaming casually along in front of you, seeming not to notice it’s being followed.

 

“A fighter that size couldn’t get this deep into space on its own,” Ben muses.

 

“It must have been lost,” Luke suggests, “been part of a convoy or something.”

 

“Well, he ain’t going to be around long enough to tell anyone about us,” Han murmurs.

 

“Look at him,” Luke says, suddenly pointing to the fighter, “he seems to be heading for that small moon.”

 

You frown. “That doesn’t look much like a moon to me, Luke.”

 

“It isn’t!” Ben realises. “It’s a space station.”

 

“It’s too big to be a space station,” Han dismisses, but he’s quickly proved wrong as you come closer to the “moon” and see that is indeed an enormous, sphere-shaped space station in the middle of the galaxy. You gulp and reach for Luke’s sleeve, startled by the sheer size of the thing, never mind the intricateness of the design.

 

“I have a very bad feeling about this,” Luke murmurs.

 

“Turn the ship around,” Ben tells Han.

 

“Yeah,” Han agrees, slowly, “I think you’re right. Full reverse, Chewie, lock in the auxiliary power.” Chewbacca does something but nothing happens. “Lock in the auxiliary power,” Han commands again, but Chewie roars to imply that he has done that and it’s not working.

 

“Why are we still moving towards it?” Luke cries.

 

“We’re caught in a tractor beam, it’s pulling us in!” Han snaps.

 

“But there’s got to be something you can do!” Luke protests.

 

“There’s nothing I can do about it, kid,” Han insists. “I’m in full power. I’m going to have to shut down, but they’re not going to get me without a fight.”

 

“You can’t win,” Ben tells him wisely. “But there are alternatives to fighting.”

 

You tighten your grip on Luke’s sleeve, nervously, and he turns to you, offering you a reassuring smile before putting an arm around your shoulders. “We’ll be fine,” he whispers in your ear.

 

“I hope you’re right,” you breath back, low enough so that neither Ben nor Han can hear you.

 

Faster than expected, the Millennium Falcon is dragged into the space station via the tractor beam but by this time, you’ve to get in, sort out the ship and get back out again. Soon, Imperial Stormtroopers board the Falcon but don’t find any of you, because you’re hiding in secret hatches in the floor. Once they’ve gone, you risk opening your panel and climbing out, followed by Luke, Han and Ben.

 

“Boy, it’s lucky you had these compartments,” Luke comments.

 

“I use them for smuggling,” Han replies. “I never thought I’d be smuggling myself in them.” Chewbacca sticks his head up from the compartment by your feet and Han pats his head. “This is ridiculous. Even if I could take off, I’d never get past the tractor beam.”

 

“Leave that to me,” Ben says.

 

“Damn fool, I knew you were going to say that,” Han mutters.

 

“Who’s more foolish; the fool or the fool that follows him?” Ben counters.

 

“I think I have a plan to get in and sort out the tractor beam,” you say, causing the others to all look over at you. “But we’re going to need them.”

 

You point in the direction the Stormtroopers just left and the others quickly cotton onto your plan. With a little “gentle persuasion” you’re able to liberate three Troopers of their uniforms and sneak into the main bay with C3PO, R2D2, Chewbacca and Ben posing as “prisoners” in case anyone asks. Chewbacca’s able to knock out the officer on duty, with a lot of noise, and Han blasts his lackey as Luke enters the room and locks the door behind him.

 

“You know, between his howling and your blasting everything in sight, it’s a wonder the whole station doesn’t know we’re here,” he snaps at Han, removing his helmet.

 

You pull off yours and flinch at the static in your hair as it crackles. Chewbacca looks interested, watching you with his head on one side and you giggle.

 

“Bring it on! I prefer a straight fight to all this sneaking around!” Han retorts, having also removed his helmet in order to talk properly and not like a Stormtrooper.

 

“Well, it got us in here, didn’t it?” you ask.

 

R2D2 bleeps and C3PO says “We found the main computer outlet, Sir.”

 

“Plug in,” Ben instructs R2 D2, before explaining to you “He should be able to interpret the entire Imperial computer network.”

 

R2 D2 gets to work and C3PO translates his bleeping. “He said he’s found the main computer to power the tractor beam that’s holding the ship here. He’ll try to make the precise location appear on the monitor.” As the monitor flashes, he adds “The tractor beam is coupled to the main reactor in seven locations. A power loss at one of the terminals will allow the ship to leave.”

 

Ben nods before turning to the three of you. “I don’t think you three can help. I must go alone.”

 

“Whatever you say,” Han shrugs. “I’ve done more than I bargained for on this ship already.”

 

“I want to go with you,” Luke says.

 

“So do I,” you add.

 

“Be patient, _(Y/N),”_ Ben replies, gently, patting your shoulder. “Stay here and watch the droids.”

 

“But he can-” Luke protests.

 

“They must be delivered safely, or other star systems will suffer the same fate as Alderaan,” Ben interrupts. “Your destines lie along a different path than mine. The Force will be with you...always.”

 

He leaves and Chewbacca roars something that makes Han grin. “Boy, you said it, Chewie. Where did you two dig up that old fossil?”

 

Luke bristles. “Ben is a great man.”

 

“Yeah, great at getting us into trouble,” Han scoffs.

 

“I didn’t hear _you_ giving any ideas!” Luke argues.

 

“Well, anything would be better than just hanging around, waiting for him to pick us up!” Han counters.

 

“Who do you think-?”

 

You cut Luke off, having had enough of all the male egos in the room ganging up on one another. “Alright, boys, that’s enough!” you say, loudly, causing them both to shut up and look over at you, both surprised and impressed by your sudden tone of authority. Even Chewbacca looks impressed. “We’re supposed to be working _together,”_ you remind them. R2D2 suddenly begins bleeping wildly, almost excitedly, and you look over at him. “What is it, R2?”

 

“I’m afraid I’m not quite sure, Mistress _(Y/N),”_ C3PO states, listening to R2D2’s whistling. “He says “I’ve found her,” and keeps repeating “She’s here!”

 

“Who?” You ask.

 

“Princess Leia, Mistress.”

 

“The Princess?” Luke exclaims. “She’s here?”

 

“Princess?” Han repeats, confused.

 

“Level Five, Detention Block A-A Twenty Three,” C3PO translates from R2D2’s whistling. “I’m afraid she’s schedule to be terminated.”

 

You know immediately that this is something you can’t let happen. True, you resent the fact that Luke finds her beautiful, but on the other hand she’s an innocent person who doesn’t deserve to meet the same fate as Owen and Beru.

 

“Oh, no!” Luke groans. “We’ve got to do something.”

 

“I know,” you say, “but what?”

 

“What are you talking about?” Han interjects.

 

“The droid belongs to her, she’s the one in the message,” Luke tries to explain. “We’ve got to help her.”

 

“Now, don’t get any funny ideas, the old man wants us to wait here,” Han says.

 

“But he didn’t know she was here,” Luke replies.

 

“We need to find a way into that Detention Block,” you say.

 

“I’m not going anywhere,” Han states, firmly, sitting down.

 

“But they’re going to execute her!” Luke protests. “Look, a few minutes ago, you said you didn’t want to wait here to be captured, now all you want to do is stay?”

 

You elbow him indignantly for choosing to paraphrase your words to him earlier in the day.

 

“Marching into the Detention Area is _not_ what I had in mind!” Han argues.

 

“But they’re going to kill her!”

 

“Better her than me!”

 

Luke sighs. You hold up a finger to show him you’ve got a plan and then lean closer to Han. “You know, Han...she’s rich.”

 

Chewbacca growls, interested.

 

“Rich?” Han muses, turning his head, slightly.

 

Luke cottons on and nods. “Yes, rich, powerful...listen, if you were to rescue her, the reward would be...”

 

“What?”

 

“Well, more wealth than _you_ can imagine!”

 

“I don’t know,” Han mutters. “I can imagine quite a bit.”

 

“You’ll get it,” Luke insists.

 

“I’d better!”

 

“You will!”

 

Han looks over at Chewbacca, who grunts and shrugs, like he’s saying “What have we got to lose?”

 

“What’s your plan?” Han asks.

 

You shrug as Luke thinks for a minute. “3PO, hand me those binders, will you?” he says, pointing to some cuffs on the desk, and C3PO hands them over. With a confident grin, Luke goes over to Chewbacca, saying “Now, I’m going to put these on you-” Chewbacca interrupts with a loud, indignant and rather violent roar that sends Luke staggering backwards towards you and Han. “O-okay, you put them on him,” he says to Han.

 

“Don’t worry, Chewie,” Han says, clipping them on the Wookiee. “I think I know what he has in mind.”

 

Luke still looks shaken as he picks up his helmet, much to your amusement.

 

“Pardon me for asking,” C3PO says, “but what should R2 and I do if we’re caught?”

 

“Lock the doors,” Luke shrugs.

 

“And hope they don’t have blasters,” Han adds.

 

“That isn’t very reassuring,” C3PO points out.

 

“You’re not really scared of Chewbacca, are you?” you mutter to Luke as you leave.

 

He looks at you in surprise. “A bit. Aren’t you?”

 

“Of course not,” you say. “I bet he’s a real softie underneath all that fur.”

                    

Luke gives you a bit of an odd look as he pulls on his helmet.


	5. "Some Rescue!"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You are Luke Skywalker’s best friend, who goes with him on his epic adventure from Tatooine to Endor; befriending droids and Wookies, rescuing Princesses, aiding “scoundrels” in distress and training to become Jedi Knights. But there’s always been a little part of both of you that wants more than just friendship...

The four of you, disguised as three Stormtroopers with a Wookiee prisoner, make your way towards an elevator shaft, Luke muttering “I can’t see a thing in this helmet!” as you climb inside the waiting elevator and quickly find the right level for the Detention Block.

 

“This is not going to work,” Han says as you adjust Chewbacca’s binders to make it easier for him to escape when the time comes. For some reason, he seems to trust you more than he does Luke.

 

“Why didn’t you say so before?” Luke asks.

 

“I _did_ say so before!”

 

“Will you stop being so negative all the time?” you hiss as the elevator doors open and the four of you step out onto the Detention Level. A tall, grim-looking officer approaches you and asks instantly, regarding Chewbacca with a wary eye, “Where are you taking this...thing?”

 

“Prison transfer from Block one-one-three-eight,” Luke replies, calmly.

 

“I wasn’t notified,” the officer frowns, beckon two guards forward. “I’ll have to clear it.” As the guards step up to you, however, Chewbacca brings up his fists and knocks them both flying.

 

“Watch out, he’s loose!” Han yells, shoving his blaster into Chewbacca’s hands and you and Luke level your own and the next thing you know there’s so much gunfire it’s hard to tell who’s shooting at whom. Control panels, locks and cameras are all reduced to dust and sparks by the red blasts as you, Luke, Han and Chewbacca fire left, right and centre until there’s not an enemy left standing. Han runs up to the console, yanks a dead officer off it and checks the monitor.

 

“We’ve got to work out which one of these cells this princess of yours is in,” he says, following a line with his finger. “Here it is, cell twenty-one-eight-seven. You two go and get here, I’ll hold them here.”

 

“She’s not _our_ princess!” you mutter to him, annoyed, as you run after your best friend.

 

Han yanks off his helmet and begins to speak into the comlink on the panel in front of him. “Uh...everything’s under control, situation normal,” he reports.

 

“What happened?” comes to response.

 

“Uh, had a slight weapons malfunction, but everything’s perfectly alright up here. We’re fine, we’re all fine here now, thank you. How are you?”

 

You roll your eyes as you and Luke search for the right cell.

 

“We’re sending a squad up,” says the intercom.

 

“Uh, negative, we’ve had a reactor leak up here now,” Han invents, “give us a few minutes to lock it down, large leak, very dangerous.”

 

“Who is this? What’s your operating number?”

 

“Uh...”Han gives up and blasts the comlink with his rifle. “Boring conversation anyway,” he mutters before shouting “Luke, _(Y/N),_ we’re going to have company!”

 

You gesture to him that you’ve found the right cell as Luke opens the door. Inside, the woman from the hologram is sleeping on a bench but she wakes up as you step inside the room. With an amused smile, she asks “Aren’t you two a little short for Stormtroopers?”

 

“Huh?” Luke realises quickly what she means. “Oh, the uniforms.” You both pull off your helmets, your hair getting static-y again much to your annoyance, especially given that the woman in front of you has completely perfect hair. “I’m Luke Skywalker and this is _(Y/N) (Y/L/N),_ we’re here to rescue you.”

 

“You’re who?” Princess Leia frowns, getting to her feet.

 

You quickly roll your eyes and repeat both your names before adding “We’re here with Ben Kenobi.”

 

“Ben Kenobi? Where is he?” Leia asks.

 

“Come on,” Luke says, ushering her out of the cell. As you follow, the sound of shooting reach your ears and you groan, gripping your blaster firmly.

 

“Get behind me!” Han orders as you run up to him. Chewbacca’s with him, also firing shots at the oncoming Troopers. “Can’t get out that way!” he explains to you, backing you up further into the corridor.

 

“Looks like you cut off our only escape route!” Leia tells him.

 

“Perhaps you’d like it back in your cell, _Your Highness!”_ Han snaps, sarcastically.

 

“Get 3PO!” you say to Luke, before helping Han fire off a few rounds.

 

Luke immediately pulls out the comlink and calls in the droid. “We’ve been cut off! Are there any other ways out of the cell bay? What was that? I didn’t copy!”

 

“I said,” comes C3PO’s voice through the comlink, “all systems have been alerted to your presence.”

 

“We know that!” you growl.

 

“The main entrance seems to be the only way in or out,” C3PO adds. “All other information on your level has been restricted.”

 

“There isn’t any other way out!” Luke shouts to Han over the sound of blasters.

 

“I can’t hold them off forever!” Han shouts back. “Now what?”

 

“This is some rescue!” Leia cries. “When you came in here, didn’t you have a plan for getting out?”

 

 _“He’s_ the brains, sweetheart!” Han snaps at her.

 

“We can’t just keep making this up as we go!” you point out, realising you haven’t got much charge left in your blaster. Leia grabs Luke’s gun and fires it at a small hatch near floor level, breaking it open.

 

“What the hell are you doing?” Han shouts, seeing as how he almost got hit by the blast.

 

“Somebody has to save our skins!” Leia retorts, tossing Luke’s blaster back to him. “Into the garbage chute, fly-boy!”

 

So saying, she throws herself into the chute.

 

Get in there, you big hairy oaf!” Han shouts to Chewbacca, who protests. “I don’t care what you smell!” Chewbacca reluctantly goes down the chute. “Wonderful girl!” Han comments. “Either I’m going to shoot her or I’m beginning to like her! Get in there!” he shouts to you and Luke.

 

Luke grabs your arm as you fire again at a Trooper and knock him off his feet. “Come on, _(Y/N)!”_

 

“Oh, that _does_ stink!” you complain, but you jump down it anyway, with Luke right behind you. You land amid a soupy mass of goodness-knows-what, and you’ve really no desire to find out. At any rate, it’s staining the boots and legs of your Stormtroopers uniform from bright white to decidedly grubby. Luke lands beside you as you grimace, and tries blasting open the door, but the blast ricochets, almost hitting all of you before the firepower dies. Han finally joins you and grimaces the same as you as he looks around the place.

 

“Oh, the garbage chute, wonderful idea!” he says, sarcastically. “What an incredible smell you’ve discovered! Let’s get out of here.” He turns to Chewbacca, who’s hammering at the door. “Get away from there.”

 

“No, wait!” you shout, but Han blasts the door and once again you all have to duck to avoid being hit by the ricocheting blast of firepower.

 

“Will you forget it?” Luke shouts in annoyance. “I already tried it, it’s magnetically sealed!”

 

“Put that thing away, you’re going to get us all killed!” Leia shouts.

 

“Absolutely, your Worship,” Han replies, scowling. “Look, I had everything under control until you dragged us down here! You know, it’s not going to take them long to figure out what happened to us.”

 

“It could be worse,” Leia replies, tersely.

 

A sudden inhuman moan makes you grab Luke’s sleeve for the second time that night as the five of you freeze, your blood chilling at the sound marking the fact that you’re not alone in this place. Chewbacca cowers near the wall as you, Luke and Han ready your blasters.

 

“It’s worse,” Han says.

 

“There’s something alive in here,” Luke says, pushing you back behind him.

 

“It’s your imagination, kid,” Han insists, although he looks worried that Luke might be right.

 

“Well, nothing dead made that noise,” you point out.

 

“Something just moved past my leg!” Luke says, jumping.

 

“That might have just been me,” you reply, hopefully, although your tone is a little higher than usual.

 

“Look!” Luke points as something disappears into the water. “Did you see that?”

 

“What?” Han asks, not having seen it.

 

“I saw it,” you say, your legs beginning to shake.

 

There is a tense, silent moment where you all stand, expecting something to happen, and then suddenly it does as something grabs hold of Luke and pulls him under the water. “Luke!” you scream, readying your blaster as you push over to where he’s disappeared.

 

“Luke!” Han also shouts, also drawing his blaster.

 

Luke suddenly emerges wrapped in a thick tentacle, shouting “Blast it, will you? My gun’s jammed!”

 

“Where?” Han shouts.

 

“Anywhere!”

 

You feel a wave of anger flood through you seeing this thing trying to kill your best friend and you level your blaster and fire into its thick flesh. At the same time, Han fires downwards and the tentacle yanks Luke back under the water again.

 

“Luke!” you’re all shouting now. “Luke!”

 

Tears of worry spring to your eyes as Han pushes back some of the garbage, trying to find Luke. Chewbacca howls in mourning as Han and Leia exchange a worried look, and then bubbles begin appearing on the surface. You both ready your blasters but this time Luke emerges alone at Han’s feet.

 

“Grab him!” Leia shouts. “What happened?”

 

“I don’t know!” Luke coughs as Han pulls him to his feet. “It just let go of me and disappeared.”

 

Relieved, you splash over and hug him, hard, hoping no one’s noticed your tears. Then, just as quickly, you push him away with an exclamation of “Oh, Luke, you reek!” He grins at you, sheepishly, as you smile to show him you don’t really care how bad he smells right now, you’re just glad he’s alive.

 

“I’ve got a bad feeling about this,” Han mutters.

 

Before anyone else can say anything, the walls begin to shudder with a loud groaning sound and start to edge towards the five of you.

 

“They’re closing in!” you exclaim.

 

“Don’t just stand there,” Leia cries. “Try to brace it with something.”

 

She grabs a pole which Han tries to use to separate the walls, but it proves too flimsy to hold. Luke tries to get hold of C3PO on the comlink, but it doesn’t seem to be working. You begin to panic, because there’s no other way out other than the magnetically sealed door and there’s nothing you can use to push back the walls.

 

“One thing’s for sure, we’re all going to be a lot thinner,” Han says. “Get on top of it.”

 

“I’m trying,” Leia replies, attempting to climb to the top of the piling up garbage.

 

“Are you there, Sir?” C3PO suddenly asks through the comlink.

 

“3PO?” Luke exclaims in surprise. You attempt to climb up with Leia on the garbage and he gives you a little push up to help you.

 

“We’ve had some problems,” C3PO begins.

 

“Will you shut up and listen to me?” Luke snaps. “Shut down all the garbage mashers on the Detention Level, do you copy? Shut down all the garbage mashers on the Detention Level!”

 

“No, shut them all down!” C3PO cries, obviously to R2D2. “Hurry!”

 

You glance worriedly at your best friend. Admitting your feelings to him in front of two people, and one Wookiee, you barely know, in the middle of a garbage masher with your best friend, and you, and indeed everyone else, currently reeking of garbage, is hardly the romantic moment you hoped to get with him one day, but if this is your last moment alive, you know you can’t afford to waste it.

 

“Luke?” you begin, swallowing hard.

 

He looks up at you but before you can say anything, the walls stop moving. You all begin to shout and whoop in relief as you realise you’re all alive and that R2D2 has saved you all in the nick of time. You scrabble off the top of the garbage and hug your best friend as Luke shouts joyfully into the comlink “We’re ok!”

 

“Can you get us out of here, 3PO?” you ask.

 

“Open the pressure maintenance hatch,” Luke instructs him over the comlink, “on unit number three-two-six-eight-two-seven!” You hug him again in delight. “Thought I reeked?” Luke jokes, raising an eyebrow at you.

 

“I don’t care,” you laugh.

 

Together you scramble out of the garbage unit and make your way into a quiet spot where you can all change out of your Stromtrooper uniforms and generally clean up. You keep your blaster belts, however, because they have all sorts of gadgets on there that could be useful later in life. Chewbacca gets spooked by something and Han fires at it, in spite of Leia’s protests that the Troopers will hear.

 

“Come here, you big coward!” Han says. “Chewie, come here!”

 

Chewbacca shakes his head, firmly, clearly too spooked.

 

“Told you so,” you murmur to Luke with a grin.

 

“I don’t know who you are, or where you came from, but from now on, you do as I say,” Leia informs Han, who looks startled by her severe frankness. “Okay?”

 

 _Oh, she’s good,_ you note, admiringly, falling into step beside her.

 

“Look, your Worshipfulness,” Han states, catching up her as the five of you make your way along the deserted corridor. “Let’s get one thing straight. I take orders from only _one_ person, me!”

 

“It’s a wonder you’re still alive,” Leia retorts, before noticing how close to her Chewbacca is. “Will somebody get this big, walking carpet out of my way?”

 

“No reward is worth _this,”_ Han mutters to Luke.

 

You try not to laugh as he walks after the Princess. Chewbacca looks rather offended about being called a “walking carpet” but follows, leaving you and Luke hanging back for a second. Luke glances at you. “Did you want to tell me something earlier? In the garbage unit?”

 

You smile, shyly. “Only that I was getting scared.”

 

Luke smiles and puts his hand on the small of your back as you both jog to catch up to the others. You notice that he always seems to touch or hug you more when you’re scared or anxious. _Perhaps I should lie about being scared more often,_ you think.

 

You quickly reach a window overlooking the Falcon, and you get a good view of the entire ship surrounded by Troopers.

 

“There she is,” Han says, proudly.

 

Luke quickly gets hold of C3PO on the comlink again and finds out that they’re in the main hanger across from the ship.

 

“You came in that thing?” Leia queries, raising an eyebrow. “You’re braver than I thought.”

 

“Nice,” Han quips. “Come on.”

 

Together, you take off down the corridor, hot-footing it in the hope of finding a way to get to the Falcon, picking up the droids and Ben en route...and promptly run right into a group of Stormtroopers. Both your group and theirs skid to a halt, taken completely by surprise, before one of them speaks.

 

“It’s them! Blast them!”


	6. Escape

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You are Luke Skywalker’s best friend, who goes with him on his epic adventure from Tatooine to Endor; befriending droids and Wookies, rescuing Princesses, aiding “scoundrels” in distress and training to become Jedi Knights. But there’s always been a little part of both of you that wants more than just friendship...

Han reacts first and blasts one of the Troopers as he charges them, Chewbacca in his wake. “Get back to the ship!” he shouts as they chase the Stromtroopers down the corridor.

 

“Han!” you shout, but he’s too far away to hear.

 

“He certainly has courage,” Leia comments.

 

“What good will it do us if he gets himself killed?” Luke muttered. “Come on.”

 

The three of you begin to run in the direction you’ve just come from, but another handful of Stormtroopers appear and begin to pursue you. You and Luke fire as best as you can at them as you race away as fast as your legs can carry you. You race through a hatch that’s meant to lead to a narrow bridge hovering over a deep shaft. Because it’s been retracted, Luke nearly doesn’t stop in time and almost falls down the shaft, but you and Leia grab him and pull him back.

 

“I think we took a wrong turn,” he says.

 

“I’ll say,” you reply.

 

The chasm below makes your voices echo eerily and a chill wind is coming up from it, probably some kind of fan blasting up air conditioning, you note. A sudden blast whizzes past your ear and you duck back as Luke fires back at the Stormtrooper that almost hit you and Leia manages to close the door.

 

“There’s no lock!” she informs you.

 

“What kind of place is this?” you groan. “Monsters in the garbage, no locks on the doors..! Luke, what are you doing?” you add, seeing him raise his blaster and firing it at the control panel by the door.

 

“That ought to hold them for a while,” he says.

 

“Quick, we’ve got to get across,” Leia says. “Find the controls that extend the bridge.”

 

Luke realises what he’s just done and winces. “Oh, I think I just blasted them.”

 

 _“Luke!”_ you groan.

 

“They’re coming through!” Leia panics.

 

You pat your Stormtrooper utility belt for anything that might help, and find something that looks like a small, claw-hook that extends on a thin cord. Luke has one too, you note, and you get his attention to that fact by tugging on it, causing him to look down. Suddenly a blast from above sends you both ducking for cover and you look up to see Stormtroopers at a doorway above shooting down at you. You both level your blasters and shoot upwards. One of you hits a Stormtrooper in the chest, but you’re not sure which of you did it.

 

“Here, hold this,” Luke says to Leia, handing her the blaster. She wastes no time in defending the three of you with it as Luke tosses the hook on his belt across the gorge and it catches on a pipe, securely. You shove your blaster at him and do the same with your hook as he defends you from more Stormtrooper fire. You glance behind you as the door starts to open, revealing Trooper feet behind you.

 

“We need to go now!” you exclaim.

 

Luke holds out an arm for Leia to grab onto him and, to your surprise and chagrin, she kisses his cheek. “For luck,” she mutters. Together they both jump and swing across the chasm, leaving you somewhat speechless. You’re so distracted that you fail to notice the Stormtroopers above are still firing down on you and suddenly pain sears across your arm. You yell and stumble back against the controls.

 

 _“(Y/N)!”_ you hear Luke shout in alarm.

 

“I’m okay!” you grunt, holding your arm, which is tingling and starting to feel numb from the burn the blast gave you.

 

_Hell! How am I going to swing across there with a dead arm?_

 

Then, to your surprise, Luke swings back across the chasm and lands beside you, holding out his arm to you. “Come on, I’ve got you,” he says.

 

“Hurry!” Leia calls, and you notice she looks genuinely concerned for you. Without stopping to think twice, you throw yourself into Luke’s arm, flinging your good one around his neck and jump with him across the gorge just as the door opens fully behind you. You both detach your hooks as Leia helps you onto the platform and then the three of you take off again down the corridor. Somehow it leads you to where Han and Chewbacca are waiting in the forwarding bay.

 

“What kept you?” Han asks.

 

“We ran into some old friends,” Leia replies.

 

Chewbacca notices your arm and growls in concern.

 

“I’m fine, Chewie,” you insist, holding your wound.

 

Han glances at you. “You’ll be alright, we’ve got some stuff in the ship that can take care of that.”

 

“Is the ship alright?” Luke asks.

 

“Seems okay, if we can just get to it,” Han replies. “Just hope the old man got the tractor beam out of commission.”

 

Luke looks at you in concern but you keep your eyes fixed on the ship, a squirming sensation you don’t much like filling you inside as you replay that scene in your mind, Leia kissing him. Alright, so it probably meant nothing, but still, you hate that it happened, well, more than that, you hate that it wasn’t you. She’s just met him, she can kiss him freely and it mean nothing, but you’ve known him for long he’d start to question if you ever did kiss him.

_Why does love have to be so complicated?_

 

“Look!” you say, pointing as the Stromtroopers suddenly get distracted by something and abandon the Falcon.

 

“Now’s out chance, go!” Han hisses and the five of you race in the direction of the Falcon. Out of the corner of your eye, you see R2D2 and C3PO emerging from a hanger and smile in relief, before your attention is diverted by a startling sight. Ben has his lightsaber lit and is battling a tall figure in a dark cloak and mask, dressed all in black. Somehow, instinctively, you know it must be Darth Vader, even though you’ve never seen him before, or had even heard of him until Ben mentioned him back on Tatooine.

 

“Ben?” Luke murmurs as the pair of you stop to watch the duel.

 

Ben notices the troops surrounding him before noticing you and Luke. You watch, speechless, as he seems to realise something, before calmly disabling his lightsaber. In one swift movement, Darth Vader swipes out with his saber and cuts Ben across the middle. His cloak crumples to the ground, but Ben is not in it, it seems. You know this can only mean one thing; he’s dead.

 

“No!” you and Luke both scream in unison.

 

The Stormtroopers turn and immediately open fire on the two of you. You have to fire with only one arm but together you and Luke blast a fair few in your defence, your hearts racing in disbelief and anger.

 

“Come on!” Han shouts.

 

“Come on! Luke, _(Y/N),_ it’s too late!” Leia calls.

 

Terror fills you as you note Darth Vader is making his way towards you beyond the blasts of red light and you act quickly, blasting at the door control panel, effectively sealing him and most of the Troopers in that corridor, with only a small handful now firing at you.

 

“Run, you two, run!” Ben says, so close to you, as if he’s right beside you.

 

You spin around but there’s only Luke there, however the expression on his face shows you that he’s heard it too. Realising you need to heed his advice, Luke grabs your hand and the two of you race to the Falcon and duck inside as Han starts to close the door. Safely inside, you both lean against the walls as the Millennium Falcon rises into the air, makes a spectacular turn and blasts off into space. You feel a twinge in your heart as you reflect that your mentor is gone, someone you’d come to regard as a friend, even a father figure, in the space of a day, and this time you’re not embarrassed to cry. Numbly, you lean against Luke and bury your head in his shoulder as he holds you quietly, not crying himself, but saddened enough not to say anything. You know him so well by now. Eventually, the two of you part, you wiping your eyes with your free hand and Luke glances at the burn on your arm.

 

“You need to get that seen to,” he says.

 

You nod and go to find Chewbacca, who makes for a surprisingly gentle nurse in patching you up with a sweet-smelling ointment and a bandage. Once you’re sorted, you wander back into the largest room where Luke sits, looking despondent, and sit down beside him. A second later, Leia comes in with some blankets, which she wraps around both your shoulders. Glancing up at her and realising how caring she’s being towards you, you can’t find it in your heart to hate her for kissing Luke. If anything, like Han, you’re beginning to like her.

 

“Just can’t believe he’s gone,” Luke murmurs.

 

“There wasn’t anything either of you could have done,” Leia replies, comfortingly.

 

Han quickly rushes into the room. “Come on, buddy,” he says to Luke, “we’re not out of this yet.”

 

Abandoning his blanket, Luke follows him. Still wrapped in yours, you follow them with Leia in tow. She heads for the cockpit where Chewbacca is still sitting, whilst you follow Luke to one of the Falcon’s gunport’s. There’s only room for one person to sit down, so you lean in the doorway and hold on tight in case it gets bumpy. Luke pulls on a headset and takes hold of the controls and a moment later a group of enemy ships come into view. What follows happens very quickly, but Luke easily gets control of the gunport and he and Han take out every ship that comes their way, despite reservations about the ship’s stability from Leia.

 

“That’s it!” Luke exclaims, eventually, throwing his arms up. “We did it!”

 

You run up and hug him tightly from behind, before risking kissing his cheek. Luke looks surprised but grins at you.

 

“Knew you could do it,” you smile, hugging him again.

 

“Help! I think I’m melting!” C3PO calls from the other room, before snapping at R2D2 “This is all _your_ fault!”

 

In spite of your recent tragedy, you and Luke manage a laugh.

 

“How’s your arm?” he asks, sobering up.

 

“Better now,” you say. “I don’t know what’s in that stuff Chewie gave me, but it works, whatever it is.” You glance in the direction of the cockpit. “You know, I’m starting to get used to having them around.”

 

“Me too,” Luke admits.

 

You feel drained now after all that excitement, so, with some urging from Luke, and after a quick argument that he inevitably wins, you decide to go and get some rest on one of the bunks inside the ship. Luke stays with you for a bit until you let him know you’ll be fine, and then he wanders into the cockpit. Even from over there, though, as you lie down and close your eyes, you catch some snatches of the conversation from inside.

 

“Your friend is really quite a mercenary,” Leia says, sounding like she’s on her way out of the cockpit. “I wonder if he really cares about anything...or anyone.”

 

 _“I_ care,” Luke offers up, hopefully, and you smile and shake your head.

 

“Typical,” you murmur, making yourself more comfortable as you continue to eavesdrop of the conversation.

 

“So, what do you think of her?” Luke’s saying now to Han.

 

“I’m trying not to, kid,” Han responds.

 

“Good...” Luke murmurs.

 

There’s a pause and then you hear Han slyly add “Still...she’s got a lot of spirit. You think a girl like her and a guy like me..?”

 

“No,” Luke answers, quickly.

 

“Well, how about your friend _(Y/N),_ then?”

 

“In your dreams, Solo,” you mutter.

 

“Definitely not.”

 

Luke says it with such finality that you sit up in surprise, but before you can question, Leia comes in to see if you’re alright. You smile at her and restrain yourself from asking how she feels about Luke, or Han for that matter, instead asking her about what R2D2’s carrying that’s so important. She tells you it’s the technical readouts of that battle station you just escaped, called the Death Star by the Empire, in the hope that a weakness can be found so that the Rebels can destroy it. Soon, Luke comes back and informs you both that you’re coming up on the Fourth Moon of Yavin, where the Rebel base is located. It isn’t long before you touch down and the seven of you walk out onto the main hanger deck, where Leia is greeted by the commander of the Rebel forces, Willard.

 

“You’re safe,” he says in relief, hugging her. “When we heard about Alderaan, we feared the worst.”

 

“We don’t have time for our sorrows, Commander,” Leia replies, falling into step beside him. You and the others follow her, not knowing what else to do. “You must use the information in this R2 unit to plan the attack.”

 

Attack? You tingle with excitement as you jog along with the rest of the group into the chamber where the other Rebels have gathered to receive the information. In the space of a day, you’ve gone from being a farm girl to a Jedi-in-training to a Rebel warrior; you’ve lost three people very dear to you and made three new friends; you’ve flown from your home planet to the Death Star and now to the Rebel Base; you’ve fought off Stormtroopers and held back Darth Vader; you’ve wounded and been wounded.

 

Suddenly nothing seems impossible or scary anymore.


	7. Empire vs Rebels

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You are Luke Skywalker’s best friend, who goes with him on his epic adventure from Tatooine to Endor; befriending droids and Wookies, rescuing Princesses, aiding “scoundrels” in distress and training to become Jedi Knights. But there’s always been a little part of both of you that wants more than just friendship...

With R2D2 plugged in and displaying the information Leia smuggled into him before the rest of the Rebels in the base, you and Luke sit with the other pilots and watch as the full plan of the Death Star appears on the screen in front of you. A man named Dodoona is leading the lecture.

 

“The battle station is heavily shielded and carries a firepower greater than half the starfleet,” he says. “Its defences are designed around a direct large-scale assault. A small one-man fighter should be able to penetrate the outer defences.”

 

Gold Leader, one of the leaders of the pilots, stands. “Pardon me for asking, Sir, but what good are snub fighters going to be against that?”

 

“Well, the Empire doesn’t consider a one-man fighter to be any threat or they’d have a tighter defence,” Dodoona explains. “An analysis of the plans provided by Princess Leia has demonstrated a weakness in the battle station.” You hear R2D2 beeping behind you and smile, knowing he’s proud of having completed his mission to deliver the plans to the Rebel base. “The approach will not be easy,” Dodoona goes on, gesturing to the screen, which now shows a layout of the inside of the Death Star. You lean forwards in your seat. “You are required to manoeuvre straight down this trench and skim the surface to this point. The target area is only two metres wide. It’s a small thermal exhaust port right below the main port. A precise hit will start a chain reaction which should destroy the station.” A murmur of disbelief runs up through the room. “Only a precise hit will set up a chain reaction. The shaft is ray-shielded so you’ll have to use proton torpedoes.”

 

“That’s impossible,” says the young pilot sitting on Luke’s other side, a man named Wedge Antilles. “Even for a computer.”

 

“It’s not impossible,” Luke replies. _“(Y/N)_ and I used to bulls-eye womp rats in our T-16’s back home, they’re not much bigger than two metres.”

 

You nod as Dodoona finishes “Man your ships, and may the Force be with you.”

 

“Sure you want to come?” Luke mutters to you as everyone gets to their feet and starts to leave.

 

“I’m sorry, which of us always used to get the bigger womp rats, and more of them?” you ask, raising an eyebrow at him.

 

He gives you a sheepish grin. “Just checking.”

 

You go and pull on your orange fighter pilot uniforms. As you zip yourself into yours, you suddenly realise that this is what your father would have done all those years ago, back before you were even born. You suddenly feel another rush of sorrow at not having ever known him, especially if he really was as Ben said.

 

Picking up your helmet, you follow your best friend as the pair of you head over to where Han is loading some small boxes onto the Millennium Falcon, with Chewbacca, of course. Luke scowls at him in disgust whilst you just feel disappointed that someone you’d started to consider a friend is going to abandon you both in your time of need.

 

“So, you got your reward and you’re just leaving, then?” Luke asks.

 

“That’s right,” Han replies. “I’ve got some old debts I’ve got to pay off with this stuff, and even if I didn’t, do you think I’d be fool enough to stick around here? Why don’t you two come with us? You’re pretty good in a fight. I could use you.”

 

“Come on!” Luke exclaims. “Why don’t you take a look around? You know what’s about to happen, what they’re up against. They could use a good pilot like you and you’re turning your back on them.”

 

“What good’s a reward if you ain’t around to use it?” Han asks. “Besides, attacking the battle station ain’t my idea of courage. It’s more like suicide.”

 

“What other choice do they have?” you shoot at him. “They can’t keep running and hiding forever! At some point, we’re all going to have to stand and fight! Now we’ve found a weakness in that thing, we stand more of a chance of winning.”

 

“Yeah, well, good luck with that,” Han replies, sounding half-sarcastic, half-disbelieving as he says it.

 

“All right, take care of yourself, Han,” Luke says, tersely. “I guess that’s what you’re best at, isn’t it?”

 

“Hey, Luke, _(Y/N)_...” Han calls and you both turn as he says, sincerely with a smile. “May the Force be with you.”

 

You manage a half smile back before calling “Bye, Chewie!” and leaving, Luke at your side.

 

“What are you lookin’ at?” Han asks Chewbacca as the latter growls at him. “I know what I’m doing.”

 

You meet Leia under a huge spacefighter and she frowns at your despondent faces. “What’s wrong?”

 

“Oh, it’s Han,” Luke replies, sighing. “I don’t know, we really thought he’d change his mind.”

 

“He’s got to follow his own path,” Leia says, wisely. “No one can choose it for him.”

 

You sigh, scuffing the ground with the toe of your boot. “I wish Ben were here. He’d know what to do.”

 

Leia surprises you by giving you a hug before moving away. As she does so, you spot a familiar face and all sorrow’s suddenly forgotten as you begin to run towards him with a delighted yelp of “Biggs!”

 

His face lights up as he exclaims “Here’s my favourite girl!” and hugs you so tightly he picks you up off the ground. You laugh as he lets you go again and Luke jogs to up to greet him. “Luke! I don’t believe it! How’d you two get here? Are you going out with us?”

 

“Of course we’ll be there with you,” Luke grins.

 

“You would not believe what we’ve been through lately,” you add, grinning at your old friend. Back on Tatooine, Biggs and Tank were two of you and Luke’s closest friends, and even though they were always very much aware of the fact you’re a girl, they always treated you as an equal, like you were just another boy in the gang. You hadn’t expected to run into him here of all places, but now it feels just like old times.

 

“Are you two...Luke Skywalker and _(Y/N) (Y/L/N)?”_ asks Red Leader, who’ll be leading your group of pilots. You both nod. “Have you been checked out on the Incom T65?”

 

“Sir,” Biggs says, patting both your shoulders with confidence, “Luke and _(Y/N)_ are the best bushpilots in the outer rim territories.”

 

Nodding, Red Leader hurries to his ship.

 

“I’ve got to get aboard,” Biggs says. “Listen, you’ll tell me your stories when we get back, alright?”

 

“We will,” you say as he boards. Looking up at the two ships that have been assigned to you and Luke, you suddenly feel a shudder of worry run through you. Luke, naturally, notices this.

 

“What is it?” he asks, concerned.

 

“I’m nervous,” you admit. “What if I let my father down?”

 

Luke puts his arm around your shoulders and looks straight into your eyes. “I think he’d be very proud of you whatever happens.”

 

You smile and then hug him. “Good luck, Luke.”

 

“Good luck, _(Y/N).”_

 

You hurry to the front of your ship, where a red R2 unit that looks a bit like R2D2 but slightly bulkier in shape is being inserted into the back of your ship. Glancing over at Luke, you smile when you see R2D2 being loaded into the back of his before you pull your helmet on and lower the lid of your fighter.

 

“Luke, _(Y/N),_ the Force will be with you...” Ben’s voice murmurs, close by.

 

You frown and tap your headphones, wondering if there’s a problem with them. There doesn’t seem to be. You sigh. “Maybe I’m just hearing things,” you mutter, readying your ship for takeoff. As your ship leaves Yavin with the others, you glance once back forlornly at where you left Han and Chewbacca, hoping that the Force will be with them too.

 

“All wings, report in,” Red Leader commands.

 

Everyone reports their numbers in one by one.

 

“Red Five standing by,” you hear Luke say through his comlink.

 

“Red Four standing by,” you say into yours.

 

“Lock S-foils in attack position,” Red Leader instructs.

 

You do so, unfolding the wings of your fighter and locking them into the X position.

 

“We’re passing through their magnetic field,” Red Leader reports. “Hold tight.”

 

You hold your breath as you approach the now familiar sight of the Death Star in the distance.

 

“Look at the size of that thing!” Wedge says through his comlink.

 

You stifle a laugh as Red Leader says “Cut the chatter, Red Two.” Biting your lip to keep from laughing more, you shake your head, thinking _If only they knew what it was like on the inside!_

“Accelerate to attack speed,” Red Leader says. “This is it, boys!”

 

“Red Leader, this is Gold Leader,” Gold Leader says over the comlink.

 

“I copy, Gold Leader.”

 

“We’re starting for the target shaft now.”

 

It’s easy to tell who your fellow fighters are just by looking at the R2 units in the back of their fighters. You quickly spot the familiar little blue and white one but resist the urge to drive up alongside it in case you’re needed elsewhere.

 

“We’re in position,” Red Leader says. “I’m going to cut across the axis and try and draw their fire.”

 

Two squads of Rebel fighters peel away from the group and move in towards the Imperial Base. Your eyes widen as the Death Star levels its enormous laser guns at them and fires.

 

“Heavy fire, boss!” Wedge calls. “Twenty degrees!”

 

“You don’t say,” you mutter.

 

“I see it, stay low,” Red Leader instructs.

 

“This is Red Five,” Luke says, suddenly. “I’m going in.”

 

“I’ll cover you, Red Five,” you say, making a quick decision and following him. Luke fires at the Death Star but his weapons cause a giant fireball that he almost doesn’t avoid in time. “Luke, pull up!” you and Biggs both shout. To your relief, the ship emerges just about intact, with the edges of its wings slightly burned. “Are you alright?” Biggs asks.

 

“I got a little cooked, but I’m ok,” Luke reports.

 

“You be more careful,” you mutter.

 

The other fighters continue to fire at the Death Star and the Death Star continues to fight back. This time you take the risk of flying level with Luke’s fighter, he definitely needs back up now.

 

“Luke, _(Y/N),_ let me know when you’re going in,” Red Leader calls.

 

“We’re on our way in now,” Luke replies.

 

“Watch out! There’s a lot of fire coming from the right side of that deflection tower!”

 

“We’re on it,” you reply, confidently.

 

Together, you and Luke twist into a dive down onto the surface of the Death Star, and one shot from Luke causes several small radar emplacements to erupt into flames. You make a note to high-five him for that later.

 

“Nice one, Red Five!” you say.

 

“Thanks, Red Four!” Luke grins back.

 

“Squad Leader,” comes the voice of the Control Officer over your headphones. You cup your hand around one to hear better amid the sounds of debris outside breaking apart from the Death Star. “We’ve picked up a new group of signals. Enemy fighters coming your way.”

 

“My scope’s negative,” Luke reports. “I don’t see anything.”

 

“Keep up your visual scanning,” Red Leader instructs. “With all this jamming, they’ll be on top of you before your scope can pick them up. Biggs, you’ve picked one up, watch it!”

 

“I can’t see it!” Biggs calls, frantically. “Where is he?” You watch as the Imperial ship fires several times at Biggs’ fighter but thankfully misses every time. “He’s on me tight, I can’t shake him! I can’t shake him!”

 

“Hang on, Biggs, I’m coming,” you decide, turning your ship in his direction and taking off towards him and the Imperial fighter. Biggs dives out of sight and the second your computer’s locked onto the Imperial ship in front of you, you fire and it erupts in a ball of flames. “Yes! I got him!”

 

“Pull in!” Biggs calls. “Luke, pull in!”

 

You turn your head and note that a Fighter’s making its way over to Luke.

 

“Watch your back, Luke!” Wedge calls. “Watch your back! Fighter’s coming in above you!”

 

You turn your ship around and fly over to help, unable to stop a yelp of surprise escaping you when an Imperial ship takes a hit on his ship. “Luke, are you alright?”

 

“I’m hit, but not bad,” Luke reports. “R2, see what you can do with it. Hang on back there.”

 

“Red Six, can you see Red Five?” Red Leader asks.

 

“There’s a heavy fire zone on this side,” Red Ten reports. “Red Five, where are you?”

 

You take off after the Imperial fighter that hit Luke and as it looks ready to fire again, you mutter “Oh no, you don’t!” before blasting it to bits. Pulling up alongside Luke again, you shout “You’re clear, Luke!” before another Imperial ship starts shadowing you both. You and Luke swerve this way and that but this one’s not giving up on you.

 

“We can’t shake him!” Luke shouts.

 

“I’m on him, Luke!” Wedge calls, flying over. “Hold on!”

 

“Blast it, Wedge, where are you?” Luke mutters.

 

Even as he says it, Wedge and another X-wing fighter come soaring to your rescue and take down the ship tailing you.

 

“Thanks, Wedge!” you shout.

 

“Good shooting, Wedge!” Biggs comments.

 

“Red Leader, this is Gold Leader,” Gold Leader calls. “We’re starting our attack run.”

 

“I copy, Gold Leader, move into position.”

 

“The exhaust post is marked and locked in,” Gold Leader reports.

 

You watch as the squad flies towards the Death Star, preparing for attack, and then Gold Tow exclaims “The guns, they’ve stopped!” Frowning, you realise he’s right, and then note that three Imperial ships coming towards the squad, one designed a little differently to the others. You remember what Ben told you about stretching out with your feelings, so you do and realise that the different ship must be flown by Darth Vader.

 

“We’re in trouble,” you murmur.

 

Gold Two’s ship is hit by the Imperials and a moment later, Gold Leader’s goes up in a ball of flames. You stare nervously at Vader’s ship, trying to muster up the courage to shoot back at him, but inwardly you know it’s a bad idea.

 

“Red Group, this is Red Leader,” Red Leader calls. “Rendezvous at Mark 6.1.”

 

“Red Leader, this is Base One,” Dodonna speaks into the comlink back at base. “Keep half your group out of range for the next run.”

 

“Copy Base One,” Red Leader replies. “Luke, _(Y/N),_ take Red Two and Three. Hold up here and wait for my signal to start your run.”

 

You, Luke, Wedge and Biggs fly into formation, waiting for the signal.

 

“Keep your eyes open for those fighters,” Red Leader adds. “Red Five, can you see them from where you are?”

 

“No sign of any...wait!” Luke cuts himself off. “Coming in point three five.”

 

“I see them,” Red Ten says.

 

“Target’s coming up,” Red Leader reports. “Just hold them off for a few minutes.”

 

Rebels and Imperials alike go to war on one another immediately, and the sky quickly becomes awash with fire and smoke. You can’t tell how many of your lot are taken down, all you know is that Luke, Wedge and Biggs are still with you. A scream of anguish and pain tells you that you’ve now lost Red Ten. Red Leader fires into the exhaust post, but your hope dies when it’s reported not to have hit.

 

“Red Leader, we’re right above you,” Luke reports. “Turn to point oh five, we’ll cover for you.”

 

“Stay there,” Red Leader argues. “I just lost my starboard engine. Get set to make your attack run.”

 

As the four of you make your run, you hear an explosion and a scream that tells you Red Leader just died. You shake your head in sympathy, willing your attack to work.

 

“Biggs, Wedge, let’s close it up,” Luke commands. “We’re going in. We’re going in full throttle.”

 

“Right with you, boss,” Wedge agrees.

 

“Luke, at that speed, will you be able to pull out in time?” Biggs asks.

 

“It’ll be just like Beggar’s Canon back home,” Luke insists.

 

“We’ll stay back far enough to cover you,” Biggs says.

 

“My scope shows the tower but I can’t see the exhaust port,” Wedge says. “Are you sure the computer can hit it?”

 

You suddenly feel like you’re on your own, the four of you, no higher authority around to instruct you now, you have to make your own decisions. You swallow down your fear and focus on the task in hand. You might be alone, but that gives you even more reason to believe that you can do this, or at least try.

 

“It has to, Wedge,” you say. “It’s our only hope.”


	8. "Use the Force"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You are Luke Skywalker’s best friend, who goes with him on his epic adventure from Tatooine to Endor; befriending droids and Wookies, rescuing Princesses, aiding “scoundrels” in distress and training to become Jedi Knights. But there’s always been a little part of both of you that wants more than just friendship...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (R/C) = Royal Colour (i.e. gold, silver, bronze, copper, platinum, you pick whichever you prefer.)

“Watch yourself!” Luke calls. “Increase speed, full throttle.”

 

“What about the tower?” Wedge asks.

 

“You worry about those fighters, I’ll worry about the tower,” Luke says.

 

 _“We’ll_ worry about it,” you correct him.

 

There’s another blast of fire from an enemy ship and one of Luke’s wings gets knocked, but that seems to be about the full extent of the damage.

 

“R2, that stabiliser’s loose again, see if you can lock it down,” Luke instructs.

 

You sweep beneath Luke just in case an Imperial fighter pops up from below. There’s another blast and Wedge shouts “I’m hit! I can’t stay with you!”

 

“Go clear, Wedge!” you call. “There’s no more you can do!”

 

“Sorry,” Wedge apologises before leaving the group. You take his place and concentrate on taking down the fighters to give Luke room to take down the tower.

 

“Hurry, Luke!” Biggs calls as the Imperial fighters, including Darth Vader, begin tailing you. “They’re coming in much faster this time, we can’t hold them!”

 

“R2, try and increase the power!” Luke calls.

 

“Hurry up, Luke!” Biggs calls, and then he shouts “Wait!”

 

You look up in shock as his ship explodes in a ball of fire. “Biggs! No!” Luke’s quiet but you know he’s reeling over what just happened. You quickly snap him out of it. “Luke...it’s just us. What do we do?”

 

“Keep going,” Luke replies, steadily. “We have to take down that tower.”

 

“Use the Force, you two,” you hear Ben say in your ear and you start before remembering you’re alone.

 

“Luke, did you just..?”

 

“Yeah. I heard it.”

 

“Let go, both of you,” Ben murmurs. “Trust me.”

 

You take a deep breath, nod and then switch off your computer, feeling a new sense of determination ripple through you. “The Force is with us...” you murmur.

 

“Luke, _(Y/N),_ you switched off your target computers,” comes a voice from the Base over your comlinks. “What’s wrong?”

 

“Nothing, we’re alright,” Luke reports.

 

“We can do this,” you murmur, gripping your controls in determination. There’s another blast of fire and this time you hear several loud bleeps and a few thin whines, and you know what’s happened. “R2?”

 

“I’ve lost him,” Luke says.

 

“Oh, R2,” you murmur, sadly.

 

The fighters are moving in on you, and you know that you’re outnumbered. It’s just you and Luke now, and only one R2 unit, being pursued by Darth Vader and two of his best pilots. You pull forwards so that you’re level with Luke, and then suddenly one of the ships behind you explodes. You frown, confused about what could have done that, because it wasn’t you, and it wasn’t Luke, and then down your headphones comes a new voice, one that makes you want to leap up and punch the air in delight.

 

“Yahoo!” Han shouts into his headphones. You laugh in relief as you look back and see the Millennium Falcon taking down the second wingman and sending Darth Vaders ship spinning through the air, far enough out of range not to do you and Luke anymore damage. “You’re all clear, kids!” Han calls. “Now, let’s blow this thing and go home!”

 

“I knew you wouldn’t let us down, Han!” you cry as you and Luke get closer to the port. You close your eyes, concentrate and then fire your torpedoes at the same time Luke fires his. Opening your eyes, you see them disappear into the port, seeking their target. Together, you and Luke pull up and away from the Death Star, along with the Falcon, and moments later the entire space station explodes.

 

“Great shot!” Han praises. “That was one in a million!”

 

“Remember,” you hear Ben whisper, “the Force will be with you, always.”

 

You smile in satisfaction and turn your ship in the direction of Yavin, tingling with excitement as you finally land, throw off your helmet and leap down the ladder. Luke spots you as he opens the hatch of his ship and hurries down to meet you, grabbing you in a tight hug that picks you up off the ground and you both laugh in hysterical delight.

 

“We did it!” you cry. “We did it!”

 

“You were amazing!” Luke exclaims, finally putting you back on your feet and then Leia comes running up and you both spin her around in a hug that has her laughing too.

 

“Hey!” Han calls, coming up.

 

You turn and hug him, tightly. “Han, we did it!”

 

“I knew you’d come back!” Luke laughs, clinging to him. “I just knew it!”

 

“Well, I wasn’t going to let you two take all the credit and get all the reward,” Han laughs back.

 

“I knew there was more to you than money!” Leia laughs, getting in on the group hug.

 

You grin and then glance up as a very fried R2D2 is lifted off the back of Luke’s fighter. “Oh, no,” he mutters.

 

C3PO comes running up. “Oh, my! R2! Can you hear me? Say something!” He looks up at the men who’ve lifted him down. “You can repair him, can’t you?”

 

“We’ll get to work on him right away,” one promises.

 

“You _must_ repair him!” C3PO insists, turning to you. “Mistress, if any of my circuits or gears will help, I’ll gladly donate them.”

 

“He’ll be fine, 3PO,” you say, patting his arm before allowing your friends to lead you off into the Base. You feel like shouting out to the world because the Death Star’s been destroyed and in the end it was only done by you, Luke and Han. It feels amazing to have done so much good in one day.

 

“I hope you’re proud of me, Father,” you murmur under your breath as you, Luke, Leia and Han wrap arms around one another and make your way away from the battered ships and towards your fellow Rebels.

 

***

 

You’re nervous, although you don’t know why. You suppose it’s because it’s all just a lot of fuss really over something so small, and yet it feels so big. But Luke and Han and Chewbacca will be there too, you remind yourself, smiling, so there’s nothing really to worry about.

 

Smoothing down the front of your _(R/C)_ dress that Leia found for you, you make your way to where Luke and Han are waiting for you. Luke turns to you with a grin and then takes in what you’re wearing with wider eyes.

 

“You look nice,” he says.

 

“Well, there’s no need to sound quite so surprised,” you say, pretending to be offended.

 

Han laughs and Chewbacca makes a sound that you take to be Wookiee laughter as Luke smiles, sheepishly. “I’m serious, you look great.”

 

“Yeah, you do,” Han agrees.

 

“Thank you, Han,” you say as the triumphal music behind the doors begins. The four of you step forwards and enter the great ruined temple, where hundreds of troops are lined up in neat rows, facing you. On a stage at the end, Leia stands, dressed in white, smiling as the four of you make your way down the steps and up the aisle towards her. The troops turn their heads back to the front as you reach her, Chewbacca roaring in contentment as you come to a halt. The four of you smile up at her as Leia fights to keep her face straight but ultimately returns it, before turning to Dodonna and lifting a medal out of the box he is holding. She places it around Han’s neck and he winks at her as he straightens up. Leia places the next one around Luke’s neck and the final one around yours, and then you hear a whistling sound. Turning, the five of you spot a newly repaired and much-cleaner-looking R2D2 standing beside a polished up C3PO, who puts a hand on the droid’s head as if to calm him down. You beam at the little droid who, essentially, brought you all together, before you all turn to face the troops. On Chewbacca’s cue, a soft roar, everyone begins to clap and cheer for you, the heroes who saved the galaxy, for now, at any rate.

 

Glancing at Luke, you smile, wondering what strange new adventures you’ll get up to next. The only thing you know for certain is that, with your new friends on your side, it’s not going to be a smooth ride.

 

_Bring it on!_


End file.
